The Adventure
by RowlingIdol
Summary: Returning to Hogwarts after the defeat of Voldemort proves to be an adventure in life and love for Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley. Humor, Drama, and most importantly Romance ensue! Please read!
1. Paper Planes

The Adventure

By RowlingIdol

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't own the song 'Paper Planes'. This chapter contains a drug reference and slight language. Review if you wish! They are most appreciated.

Chapter 1: Paper Planes

The sound of trunks rattling woke Draco Malfoy with a jolt. He raised his hands and rubbed at his face. The rocking of the Hogwarts Express must have lulled him to sleep. Looking out the window he leaned his head back and sighed. He didn't want to be here, he thought watching the rolling landscape pass by. He shouldn't be here. The moment he had stepped on the train only several hours earlier he had regretted his decision. Well, it wasn't ALL his decision….

~*~*~*~

"He is GOING!" Lucius Malfoy told his wife sternly, banging his cane on the marble floor of one of the manor's many parlors.

'I am not going to have my son be a…. a Wizarding School DROP-OUT!" Lucius spat the last word. Narcissa sniffed on the couch and dabbed at her eyes.

"I don't want him to leave, Lucius!" Narcissa pleaded from the loveseat she sat on. Draco hung his head in the corner of the room, trying to ignore his parents.

"We…. We could spend some time together!" Narcissa almost wailed, dabbing at her eyes with a very wet lacy handkerchief. "There's nothing holding us back! We…. We could…." She paused and took a breath before uttering her suggestion. "We could go on a picnic!"

Draco looked up at his father and swear he saw him age 20 years in front of his eyes at the mere word of such a Muggle activity.

"A WHAT?" Lucius practically roared.

"Its almost the end of summer…."

"We are doing no such thing! The only family outing we are going to have is a trip to the robe and bookstores! HE IS GOING!!!" Lucius burst out. He banged his cane once more on the floor before turning on his heel and striding quickly from the room. Narcissa burst into sobs and collapsed onto the couch. Draco waited until he knew his father was out of earshot and went over to console his mother."

"It's for only half a term, Mother." Draco whispered, laying a hand on her shoulder. Narcissa sat up and patted at her hair before attending to her tear stained face.

"I want you home with me…. But you've heard your father. You are to go back to school." Narcissa blubbered.

"I understand Mother. I….. I will go." Draco said. Narcissa sniffed some more and she nodded.

"I will make an appointment with the robe shop tomorrow." She said, standing up and smoothing her dress. She patted at her hair once more before leaving the room.

"What are you looking at?" He hear her sneer at a passing house elf. He sighed and slumped onto the loveseat his mother had just occupied. He was going back to school. To Hogwarts. Durmstrang had been an option but after missing out on practically his entire 7th year, they refused to accept him as a transfer.

"Back to Hogwarts…." He muttered to himself. Hogwarts. Bloody fucking hooray.

~*~*~*~

The sound of a quickly opening and slamming door jolted Draco once more, this time from his thoughts and not sleep. The girl who had entered his train cabin had her back pressed against the back of the door, head tilted back, eyes closed, breathing heavily. After a minute, she opened her eyes and realized, the empty cabin she had bolted into wasn't empty at all.

~*~*~*~

"…And then I told Neville that we'd have to have lunch sometime while we were at school. Oh I can't wait to be back!" Hermione squealed into Ron's ear, making him cringe. Hermione gasped.

"Did you just cringe away from me Ronald?" She snapped.

"Not at all my love." Ron spluttered quickly. "I'm um… just sore from sitting so long." He lied.

"Well that's quite all right. We can lay out in the common room once we're there. Doesn't that sound lovely Harry?" She said turning to her friend sitting across from her.

"Hmm? What?" Harry asked, turning away from the window he had been staring out for the last few hours.

"Oh never mind." Hermione said, waving her hand at him.

"Ginny what do you think?" Hermione asked her friend.

"Fine enough for you three, but I'm here for an actual term." Ginny replied.

"Did we REALLY have to come back Mione?" Ron moaned.

"Yeah." Harry chimed in. "I mean you'd think that with all we've gone through they just could have given us diplomas and let us go on our merry ways."

Ron grinned and held up his free hand for a high five which Harry obliged to slap. Hermione gave Ron's other hand a hard squeeze.

"Geez woman!" Ron said, ripping his hand away and nursing it.

"While a free pass may be enough for you two, I for one, want to achieve my diploma properly. And besides, us '8th years' only have to attend half a term. Which means we need to start studying for our NEWTS right away!"

"But I thought we could relax tonight…" Ron whined. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Fine. Starting tomorrow." Hermione said glumly, folding her arms across her chest.

"Will you be joining us for dinner Ginny?" Harry asked, turning to the girl next to him. Ginny looked over at him and immediately regretted doing so. He was sitting too close to her, his right hand inches away from her left.

She quickly drew her hands into her lap.

"Most likely. I don't know which ones of my friends from my year are returning."

'I will save you a seat." He said softly. "Next to me of course." He said even softer.

Ginny didn't reply.

~*~*~*~

Ever since Voldemorts death and the long, hard summer Ginny and her family, and practically everyone else in the Wizarding world, were slowly piecing their lives back together. With the loss of Fred things were very hard, especially for George. His spirits were slowly lifting. Near the end of summer he had begun tiring the whole family with jokes along the lines of: Speak up! I can't hear you! He would then cup the empty scarred spot on the side of his head where his ear was missing and speak in the voice of an elderly wizard. It was funny, but still, without his partner in crime, it was apparent he was hurting.

Her mother continued to fuss over Harry, trying to push them back together again. Ginny knew Harry wanted it. She wasn't sure if she did too. She was forced on awkward double dates with him over the summer, making her feelings that much more mixed.

Harry had confessed to her how he felt about her. About how he had feared for her while she had battled Bellatrix Lestrange. How he had wanted to help her attend to those who had been wounded in the great battle of Hogwarts. It was all flattering at first, but she had a feeling in the pit of her stomach that it was all too much. Too much fame. Too much expectation.

"Are you all right Gin?" Harry asked, shaking her from her thoughts. Ron and Hermione stared from their seat across from her in their train cabin.

"Yeah… Yeah I'm fine. I just….. Need some air." she said. She stood up and reached for the door of the cabin.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Harry asked hopefully.

"No no I'm fine." She replied quickly.

She exited into the hallway, shutting the door behind her. She moved quickly to the end of the car, in a hurry to reach the doors leading to the other cars, which would allow her to be outside, with the rush of the wind. She was halfway down the corridor when she heard a door open behind her. She could feel eyes on the back of her head. She turned her head quickly and saw Harry watching her. He gave a quick wave which she returned before speed walking the rest of the way down the hall. When she heard the click of the cabin door and footsteps begin behind her she began searching for the closest empty cabin. Shadows of students inside, voices and laughter coming through the doors alerted her where not to go. At the far end of the car, right before the exit to the next car was an empty cabin. She flung the door open and shut it quickly behind her.

She closed her eyes and leaned back against the door. She breathed heavily. Why did he have to follow her? Couldn't he tell she just wanted to be alone? She opened her eyes and realized with a start, that her attempt to be alone had failed. Miserably.

~*~*~*~

She stood there staring at him. He stared back too for a while before leaning back against his seat. She opened her mouth so say something when-

"Ginny?" Came a voice from out in the hallway.

"Shit." She whispered. She slid away from the door and sat on the unoccupied seat and held her breath. A tall shadow paused outside the door of the cabin before moving along to the next car.

They sat there in silence. Nothing being said. Was there anything to be said anyways? She should probably just get up and walk out of the cabin without a word. After all, being in the same train cabin as Draco Malfoy wasn't exactly where she was expecting to find herself.

There was a rustle from the opposite corner of the cabin where Draco sat. He was reaching into his robe pocket, a grim look on his face. She took in a sharp intake of breath. Was he reaching for his wand? A poisoned potion? Was he going to kill her stone cold as she sat feet from him? It was then he looked up at her.

~*~*~*~

The red headed Weasley girl had just invaded his train cabin. His little hell hole of sanctuary interrupted. He looked at her and she looked back. He turned his head away after a minute and stared out the window, leaning his head back against his seat.

The girl seemed to relax a bit before becoming stiff again. Draco's ears perked up at the noise outside in the corridor.

"Ginny?" called the unmistakable voice of Harry Potter. The girl's eyes widened.

"Shit." she whispered, sliding into the seat next to the door in the corner opposite him. The shadow of Potter outside the cabin made Draco's heart drop into his stomach. He wasn't ready to face him after all that had gone on. The Room of Requirement fiasco where his good friend Crabbe had lost his life. The panic at his home. Not now. He knew he couldn't avoid it forever, but Merlin not now.

The sound of the whistling wind from outside was let in as Potter moved on to the text train car. The halls were quiet again. The girl sat there. How annoying. Wouldn't she just go away? He didn't need a cabin mate, let alone her. He reached into his robe pocket. Among the rustling from his pocket he heard her take in a sharp breath. He looked up.

She looked like she was awaiting something terrible, her eyes wide as she watched his pocket. Draco softly snorted as he withdrew a cardboard box from him pocket and flipped open the lid. The girl's shoulders relaxed as she felt she wasn't in any immediate danger.

Draco plucked out a white paper stick from the box and held it between his lips. He placed the box back in his pocket and withdrew a red plastic tube. He flipped back the lid, cupped his hands around his mouth, and proceeded to light his cigarette.

He took a long drag and blew it out slowly and carefree. It was still his cabin car, he would do as he pleased.

The girl let out a wimpy cough and wrinkled her nose. He stared at her, a look of "you've got to be kidding me" written on his face. Her cheeks tinted pink. He turned his head away from her and stared out the window, smoke trailing from the cigarette ever so slowly.

"Didn't expect to see you here." she spoke lightly, breaking the silence. He turned back to her, her head hung low, feet shuffling on the floor. She looked up and peeked through her long red curls, her eyes awaiting an answer. Fine. He was bored. He'd play her game.

"I could say the same to you." He drawled. He took a drag on his cigarette and forcefully blew the smoke out, in her direction.

"I meant… I mean…. You…. Here… On the train…. Not um… Me…. Being here…. In your cabin." She stuttered.

Draco snorted.

"Yeah well…. Wasn't like I had a choice." He replied.

"I know what you mean." She said, sighing and getting comfortable in her seat.

"Puh-lease." Draco said. "Spare me your sob story. I know very well you could have just accepted a free pass and a fancy job wherever you wanted with no questions asked or eyebrows raised."

The girl frowned.

"That's my brother, Harry, and Hermione you're talking about." She said defensively. "Not me. I'm an official 7th year. They're 8th years."

Draco laughed.

"So that's what they're calling us?"

She went pink.

"Well its what you are. All of last years remaining 7th years were given invitations to complete the schooling they missed out on in half a term. They could take it or leave it. Some did, some didn't. I didn't have a choice."

Draco was silent. She was right. Some did have the choice, some didn't. Goyle decided not to go back to school and his family didn't press the subject. Blaise decided to get into Wizarding real estate and make some money instead of heading back to school. His mother had connections so he needed not re-think going back to school.

"And besides, its not fair to group in last years 7th year students with this years….. Given the circumstances."

She was right again. Draco couldn't argue. He had sat thinking about the same subject after he first boarded the train. The school had parts of it destroyed. It was being fixed as they made their way there, but it was repaired enough to accommodate students. Despite all the events of the previous school year, those who had stayed had still received the education they needed to move up in the school. Those who had left had missed out and had to be calculated into a new category of students, 8th years.

"I mean I left at one point…." The girl spoke again. "But I did go back. And my book list was for 7th year classes, so I guess they allowed me to continue on instead of holding me back to finish what I missed."

She was just rambling now.

"What about Potter?" He asked. Her eyes narrowed.

"What about him?"

~*~*~*~

That jerk. Why did he have to bring up Harry? Was he just trying to get to him through her? She shook her head. Voldemort was gone. Death Eaters were no more, with no master to follow. It was just her imagination. She had to try to not to be paranoid. She had seen what being paranoid all the time had done to Harry, and she didn't want to subject herself to that depression.

"Why is he here? Going back to school." Draco answered, flicking ash onto the carpet of the train cabin.

"Hermione made him." Ginny said, smiling at the memory. When the letters inviting the three to return to Hogwarts had arrived at the Burrow, Ron had ceremoniously thrown his away. Hermione then made a huge fuss, brought Ginny's mother into the matter, and nagged at Ron profusely before breaking him down into returning. At that point, Ron declared Harry had to go too. Ginny could tell that Harry wasn't pleased about returning to Hogwarts, given his memories of the place. Ginny had a funny feeling part of the reason he returned, besides Ron and Hermione, was her.

~*~*~*~

"I see…" Draco said. Of course the mudblood bookworm had rounded Potter and Weasley into returning to school.

"I wish he hadn't…." the Weasley girl admitted. Draco sat straight up.

"Really?" He asked, his interest piqued.

"Yes, really. Why do you think I'm still in this cabin?" she said, very animated at the topic. "I swear you'd think I had something growing out of the side of my head the way he just STARES at me! And he FOLLOWED me! That's why I ducked in here. No way I'm going back to that cabin with those three." She said, crossing her arms across her chest and falling back into her seat.

Draco saw her cheeks tint pink once again. He smirked. It was kind of funny.

"So you'd rather stay in a cabin with Murderer Malfoy than with Saint Potter?" He drawled, smirk still playing at his lips.

The color in her cheeks darkened as she looked down at her faded brown loafers.

"Anywhere is better than there." She mumbled.

Draco smiled. He found it fascinating that this girl found Potter annoying. She'd rather sit in a smoky train cabin with him than be subject to another minute of Potters brooding.

"Sorry." she mumbled again.

"It's all right." Draco drawled. "You're all right." He said, pointing his cigarette in her direction.

The girl blushed again for a moment before her face froze and she stared up at him. She sniffed the air. Her face twisted in disapproval.

"Those aren't cigarettes are they?" She accused.

Draco laughed.

"Sticks and stones and weed and bones." He replied carefree.

She made a face at him.

"A little poison for the system. That's all." Draco said, taking out the cardboard box and offering it to her.

"No thanks." She said, shaking her head. He shrugged and slid the box back into his pocket. They ignored each other the rest of the ride.

~*~*~*~

As the Hogwarts Express pulled into the school station, Ginny hurried out to the platform to await her luggage. The sun was setting and it was beginning to get dark. Students of every size bustled here and there, wondering where they were to go. Ginny's battered trunk was brought to her and she hurried to the castle only to be stopped.

"Ginny there you are! We've been looking all over for you!" Came Harry's voice. Harry, Ron and Hermione rushed over to her, their luggage trailing behind them on carts.

"Are you all right? I was so worried." Harry said as they got closer.

"I'm fine." Ginny said.

"Phew Ginny! What HAVE you been doing! You smell like wizard hash!" Ron said loudly. Ginny heard snickering and she turned her head to see Draco Malfoy stride pass with his luggage, a smile on his face. She glowered at his back as he walked away.

"Ronald! What a thing to say!" Hermione said, slapping at Ron's arm.

Ginny went red with embarrassment and anger.

"You're so mean to your sister! I don't tell YOU how much YOUR second-hand robes smell like sweat and burnt garbage!" Hermione was saying to her boyfriend as they made their way to the castle.

Ron gasped.

"My robes do NOT smell like that!" He said defensively. He sniffed at his sleeve.

Ginny sighed, avoided Harry's gaze, grabbed her trunk and proceeded to follow them up to the castle.

~*~*~*~

Author's Note: Okay so a new story, a new direction. I'm naming chapters after songs that are inspiring me to write this story and adding in lyrics from the songs into their respective chapters. Hope this is interesting for all you readers. Let me know what you think please! With this being a new story, opinions are greatly appreciated. :)


	2. That's Not My Name

The Adventure

By RowlingIdol

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't own the song 'That's Not My Name'. This chapter contains a drug reference and slight language. Review if you wish! They are most appreciated.

Chapter 2: That's Not My Name

The first day back at school was awkward. Usually there was always sort of an aura in the air. An anxious aura of the students rushing to their new classes. Today's aura was that of nerves. First year students traveled in packs. Ginny even saw one first year holding the hand of a very annoyed Prefect on the way to class. The kid had looked terrified though, no doubt fearing that a dead body would fall out of a passing broom closest, leftover from the battle of Hogwarts.

Ginny chuckled to herself over the thought of a dead body falling out of a closest, the first years screaming in a panic. She shouldn't be laughing, she though to herself. Maybe she was doing it because of her own nerves. Luna hadn't returned to school as she wished she had. She was going off adventuring with her father. Neville was there, but his case was completely different.

Neville was the Herbology Professor's Assistant. A part time job if you will. However, he was no longer classified as a student. She would see him later that day. She chuckled again at the thought of Neville's clumsiness. She envisioned walking into class and finding him trapped inside a giant Venus Fly Trap.

"Something funny Weasley?" a voice drawled to her left.

Ginny was startled by the voice, but she knew too well who it was. She frowned at Draco as she found him walking next to her.

"Yes actually." she huffed, speeding up her pace to get rid of him.

"That's odd…. I didn't hear anyone tell a joke." He sneered. Ginny stopped and turned to glare at him.

"You're lucky I don't report you for smoking hash on the train over here!" She accused, hugging her books to her chest.

"I will have you know that Ron kept sniffing me at breakfast this morning! No thanks to you!"

"You're not going to report me." Draco said lazily. "You're too much of a goody two shoes."

Ginny went red in the face.

"I. Am. Not." Ginny said sternly

"Prove it." Draco hissed.

Ginny paused and anxiously tapped her foot.

"I'm saving it until you do something really bad. Then I will tell." She said finally, holding her head in the air.

Draco golf clapped his hands.

"Bravo! Weasley has learned the art of blackmail!" He said sarcastically. He smirked at her and continued on to class.

Ginny stood in the hallway, students beginning to brush past her in their hurry to reach their next class before the bells rang.

He was such a jerk! She probably should go and tell a professor right now, but then she'd be late for class herself. Maybe after lunch… Or dinner….

Oh hell, she was a goody two shoes.

~*~*~*~

"I'm sorry Ginny! I really am!" Neville Longbottom continued to apologize as Ginny left the greenhouse, a stain of goo covering the front of her robes.

"I already told you Neville, it's all right." Ginny said. She scooped some of the goo off her robes and shook it off her hands into the grass.

"I guess I still have a lot to learn." Neville said, hanging his head as he caught up to Ginny on her way back to the castle. The other students from the class that had just let out were making their way to lunch.

"It was your first day. You're going to make a great professor one day. Trust me." Ginny said, turning to face her friend. Neville went red.

"Thanks Ginny. And again, I'm sorry. I didn't think I was squeezing the plant that hard…."

"I think I got most of it anyways." Ginny said.

"Well, I'd love to sit with all of you again, but I have to sit with the other teachers." Neville said glumly. "But at the Hogsmeade trips Professor Sprout said I'm welcome to go with you guys…. If…. You're going that is."

"I didn't even know there were going to be Hogsmeade trips this year." Ginny said. "After… well…. You know." Ginny shrugged. Neville nodded.

"Yeah well from what I've heard its mostly a means to allow everyone to relax, get over all that happened. My gran always said shopping made her feel better….. Granted she didn't really have good taste for all those antiques she bought….. It did seem to make her happy."

Ginny smiled.

"Shopping would be nice. Plus a trip to the Three Broomsticks…" Ginny sighed wistfully.

"Well its in a few weeks so I will keep in touch for plans, all right?" Neville said, as they approached the Great Hall.

"Sure." Ginny said with a smile.

Neville walked off, giving Harry, Ron, and Hermione a wave at their table before making his way to where the other teachers were.

"Oh Gin! What happened to your robes?!" Hermione cried out as Ginny approached.

"There were some issues in Herbology class today…." Ginny said, taking a seat next to Hermione, away from Harry.

"I take it Neville played a part in this?" Ron asked. He smiled at his sister.

"Of course. But its okay. First day jitters." Ginny said. They all laughed lightly. Clumsy Neville!

She shrugged out of her stained robe and shook her red hair out of the ponytail it had been pulled in.

"Make sure you eat a good lunch Ginny, we have NEWT prep after this." Hermione said before shoveling a large spoonful of mashed potatoes in her mouth.

"You mean you're in the same NEWT prep class?" Ginny said, slightly going pale.

"Of course!" Hermione said after swallowing. "They only offer one class. All 7th years, and 8th years, are in it."

"Speaking of 8th years…." Ron said softly. "Did you know that Malfoy came back to school? That toad!"

The Golden Trio then proceeded to stare across the hall in Draco's direction.

"I bet he eats Doxy eggs for lunch." Ron said. Hermione and Ginny both gave him a look.

"What?" Ron said. He then went red and went back to his food, muttering to himself- "He probably does…"

"I don't know why he had to come back." Harry said loudly, shooting a glare across the hall. "Why didn't he stay home like the rest of the Slytherins?"

It was Ginny's turn to stare across the hall. Harry was right. Out of all of the house tables, Slytherins table was the most bare. A huddle of grimy looking first years sat on one end, some 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years, the largest variety out of the whole house, in what looked like a group of their own on the other end. The 5th, 6th and 7th years sat in the middle. And Draco. The only returning student. Sat all alone between the groups of the older students.

~*~*~*~

Draco's first class of the day was hell. Probably worse than hell, but he really wouldn't know. He felt like he had been held back. His morning classes consisted of him sitting in on 7th year classes. Followed by a grueling 2 hours of NEWT prep, and then one more 7th year class with Professor McGonagall.

The students in his morning classes ignored him. It was a shock, but still expected. When he had been at Hogwarts he seemed to rule the Slytherin house. Students of all ages in the Slytherin house looked up to him. He would crack smart ass jokes and remarks loudly in class. Granted he did get in trouble sometimes. Not including the whole 'vanishing cabinet, killing Dumbledore' scenarios. How he wished he could forget those. He wasn't used to being snubbed.

He picked at his food in the Great Hall, dreading NEWT prep. He knew he'd be in the same room as Potter, and he hoped to avoid him as much as possible.

A loud voice echoed across the hall. Hermione was loudly greeting the Weasley girl as she approached their table.

"What happened to your robes?!" He managed to hear.

The three stared at the obvious stain on her robe and then smiled at her as if to say 'its all right, these things happen'. The girl sat. They shared a quick laugh and then the girl took off her stained robe and set it beside her on the bench. With a shake of her head her loose curls feel around her shoulders. It made Draco think of silk red ribbons. Pretty silk red ribbons. Pretty……

Shit. He needed to stop thinking like that. Why was he thinking these kind of things? Malfoys didn't think things like that over penniless women, let alone Weasleys, who definitely needed to be considered halfpenny less for all it mattered to him. Or did it only matter to his parents?

"Bloody hell." He muttered to himself. Maybe he needed to lay of the hash.

He heard Harry said something loudly about Slytherins but kept his head down.

After a few moments he felt funny, like someone was staring at him. He looked up and down the Slytherin table but he was being completely ignored. He glanced up at the teachers table. Professor McGonagall saw him and gave him a short nod. Neville had apparently spilled his drink over some papers and was trying to clean it up.

His eyes came upon the Gryffindor table next and suddenly it was apparent who had been staring. Even though he had only glanced recently enough to see her eyes flick quickly to her plate, the color of her face was a plain giveaway.

~*~*~*~

Shit. He had caught her staring. She was such an idiot. Why was she even caring about him being all alone and ignored? He had been nothing but rude to her and her family over the years. He was the biggest jerk of all time. He didn't deserve her thoughts.

"Are you ready for class?" Hermione asked Ginny, excitedly reaching for her stuffed book bag.

"Sure." Ginny said, hoping her face wasn't as red.

"You all right?" Harry asked, coming over and reaching for Ginny's book bag.

"Yeah I'm fine." She replied quickly.

"Your face looks a bit red. Are you feeling well?"

Ginny sighed. Curse her blushing.

"Yeah just nervous. NEWTs are very important after all." She lied.

~*~*~*~

Harry toted Ginny's book bag to the NEWT prep class held in an old Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. The classroom was very full.

"Oh poo, all the good seats are taken!" Hermione said as they crowded around the doorway. Of course, Hermione meant that all the front seats were occupied. She sighed.

"I suppose we have to sit in the back then." She trudged towards an open seat. Harry and Ron high fived behind her back. Ginny pretended to be occupied looking around the room while she waited for seats to be taken.

As usual, Hermione seated herself closest to the center of the blackboard, with Ron on her right, who insisted Harry sit on his right. Ginny would have taken the seat to Hermione's left but it was occupied by some blonde who was chatting avidly with the girl in front of her. The class was filling fast.

"Take a seat take a seat! Hurry hurry hurry!" Called the teacher. Hermione looked up at that point.

"Oh Ginny! You're going to have to sit elsewhere!" Hermione said sadly, aware of the seating predicament.

"It's okay, I can sit here." she said, taking a seat two rows back from the trio, one from the back. She made sure she was angled away from Harry. The only way he could stare at her longingly now would be if he could rotate his head like an owl. Success. Or was it?

~*~*~*~

Draco had snuck into the NEWT prep class behind with a group of chatting students, who weren't aware of his presence. The ministry wizard hosting the class was preparing a stack of thick pamphlets to pass around to students.

"Take a seat take a seat! Hurry hurry hurry!" The wizard called to the students. Draco spied the messy black hair of Potter and took a roundabout way around the classroom, making his way to the far back corner of the class where he wouldn't be noticed.

The students around him continued to chat loudly. Draco hid his face behind his fancy leather book bag, trying to hide because Potter had turned around in his seat.

"Pay attention pay attention please!" The teacher called. "You are all old enough to keep track of your belongings so I expect you NOT to lose this pamphlet!" He handed a stack of pamphlets to the student at the front of each row for them to pass back. He could see Granger's hideously poofy hair bouncing in her anticipation to get her book.

A student a couple of seats forward groaned at the heaviness of the book. When it was his turn to receive the book he was greeted by warm brown eyes which quickly turned dark the second they met his.

"What are you, stalking me?" Girl Weasley hissed at him, allowing the heavy book to drop loudly on his desk. Students turned at the sound. He was now noticed by the entire class. His eyes flicked briefly to Harry. He looked as if he was ready to get up out of his seat and the sight of where he was seated. Oh that's right, didn't the girl mention yesterday on the train that Potter had some sick fascination with getting back with her that she didn't share? The memory was vague (he _really _needed to lay off the hash) but he was sure of the fact. He grabbed his book, opened it, and hid behind it. The teacher cleared his throat and started droning on about the basics of what they'd be expecting with their NEWTs.

~*~*~*~

The teacher passed out a couple of pages of sample questions which made even Hermione cringe near the end of the class. They were to go over them and turn them in by next week. No doubt Hermione would have hers turned in early. But the worst part of the class had yet to come.

"I am pairing you up." The wizard announced. An uproar of cheers and groans echoed around the classroom. The teacher held up his hands to get their attention.

"Let me finish let me finish!" He said. "I am pairing you up, for THIS assignment. Not the whole class." He announced. The students calmed down. A week wasn't so bad compared to previous classes where they had been paired the entire term, take Potions for example.

The teacher took the roll list and started pairing people off. Ron and Hermione got paired together. Harry got paired (to his disappointment) a Ravenclaw boy (to his delight).

'please please please no no no' Draco heard the girl in front of him whisper. 'anyone but him…'

"Miss Weasley?" The teacher called. Ginny raised her hand. The teacher glanced at his roll sheet then behind her.

"Miss Weasley you will be paired with Mr. Malfoy." The teacher read out, scribbling down the decision on his grade sheet.

Harry, Ron and Hermione proceeded to stare in his direction. Ron glared and made faces at Draco. Harry just blankly stared at him before turning his gaze (painfully) to Ginny. He and Hermione were giving her a 'I'm so sorry! Study with us!' look. The girl kind of shrugged.

Draco cleared his throat a little. She turned around.

"Damn Weasley you look like you've been sentenced to death." He drawled slowly. She glared at him.

"I have a name you know." She snapped. Draco paused.

'Shit I don't remember her name!' Draco suddenly remembered.

"Am I really so bad to be paired with?' he changed the subject.

"You are such a pig Malfoy." The girl sneered.

"Mmm…. I do enjoy bacon." Draco said, smirking. The girl tutted and turned back around.

The bell rang signaling freedom of the class. She quickly stood up and reached for her book bag.

"So Weasley-" He began. Her head snapped up.

"That's not my name." She said angrily.

"Sure it is!" He said, grinning evilly.

"No. Weasley is what you call my brother. If we're going to be study partners this week you better stop calling me that." She said, pointing a finger at him. He wasn't fazed.

"Whatever you say Weasel." He said, brushing past her. She stood at her desk for a moment before shouting after him.

"That's not my name!!!"

~*~*~*~

The morning of the next day went a lot better than previous morning. Ginny wasn't splattered with magical plant goo and Neville let slip the date of the upcoming Hogsmeade trip, two weeks from next week. Ginny made a reminder to herself to make plans with Hermione.

"You are so lucky you have me." Hermione sickenly cooed to Ron at the lunch table.

"These questions are so stupid!" Ron said, slapping down the sample NEWT question sheet. "I hope Harry's having better luck than me. Then I can copy off of him."

There was a slapping noise as Hermione hit Ron's arm.

"Owwww!!!" He cried out.

"Ronald you KNOW you can't cheat on the NEWTs!"

"Harry would let me cheat…." Ron mumbled. Hermione glared at Ron and tossed her hair, going back to her sample sheet.

"Will you let me cheat off your sheet?" Ron asked Ginny.

"No! I have enough problem as it is with Malfoy for a partner. I don't need you bothering me. I'm going to be on my own with this one…" she said solemnly.

If she had been partnered with anyone else she wouldn't have to do the study sheet on her own but it was apparent that Malfoy wanted nothing to do her, and she him. Therefore, she was on her own the assignment.

It was quiet at the table as the three of them studied and ate. Harry was still off in the library with Travis, the 7th year from Ravenclaw.

"Hey Weasley." Came a voice from down the table. "You got a minute?"

Ron glowered at the approaching voice.

"For you Malfoy?" Ron snarled. "I don't even have a second."

"Ronald!" Hermione hissed.

"Not you Weasley." Draco said, glaring back at Ron. "This Weasley." Draco said, looking at Ginny.

"I told you, that's not my name." Ginny said.

'What was her name again?' Draco thought quickly.

He remembered hearing her being called a drink… An alcoholic kind.

'Wonder what that's about….' He thought.

'Mead? Tonic? Vodka? Maybe she's good at drinking games. I'd like to see that….. No, no…. Don't think about that! Something else. Something with a 'Juh' sound. Jane? No that didn't sound right. Mary? No, that was her mother's name… or was it Molly…..'

"Hello? I'm talking to you!" the girl said loudly, interrupting his thoughts.

"Whatever. Do you want to study or not?" He snapped, folding his arms across his chest.

"That depends on who you're asking." Ginny shot back.

'Damn it this bitch isn't caving on this name issue' Draco thought.

"I'm asking you, darling." He said, smiling in an evilly sweet sort of way.

"Are you calling me 'DARLING'?!" She practically shrieked.

"I know you just didn't call my baby sister 'darling' you prick!" Ron said, standing up.

"Ron! Calm down! You're causing a scene!" Hermione said, pulling on Ron's sleeve, trying to get him to sit back down.

"It's okay Ron." Ginny said. "I've got this handled." She turned to Draco.

"Fine. Library. Tomorrow. After lunch." She said. She grabbed her belongings in a hurry and stalked out of the Great Hall in a huff.

~*~*~*~

Ginny sat at a table in a far corner of the library, a large stack of books in the center. She peeked around the stack and stared at a table several down from hers. She could barely make out the top of her brothers head over the many stacks of books littering his and Hermione's table.

She sighed and peeked around the other stack of the book, eyes trained on the door. She glanced at her faded Velcro strap watch. He should have been here by now, that pompous jerk. Making her wait. She had taken the time out of her schedule to meet here to study for that Merlin awful NEWT prep assignment and he was late. She should have known.

"Looking for someone Red?"

Ginny jumped in her seat and turned around. Draco was standing behind her chair, his arms full of more books.

"You scared me." She said, glancing at the books in his arm.

"Sorry." He said, shrugging. He set the books down on the table, dust rising out from beneath them, causing Ginny to sneeze.

"Bless you." She barely heard him say.

"What did you say?" She asked him quickly.

"Bless you. You sneezed." He said hurridly.

"Before that." she said.

"Uh…."

"Did you say you were….. Sorry?" Ginny asked, whispering the last word. Draco just shrugged.

"And that's not my name by the way." Ginny said, leaning back in her seat, glancing sideways at him

"Darn." Draco said in a 'it doesn't matter' tone. Ginny glared at him over the new stack of books.

"Whatever. Do you want to split up the sample questions? Or do you just want to work on them all together?" She suggested.

"Whatever you want J." Draco said. Ginny raised an eyebrow at him. He sure was weird. Maybe he was high again.

"Fine. I'll take the first ten. You take the other." She said.

~*~*~*~

Hours passed in silence as they rummaged through book after book, trying to find answers for their questions. Ginny had only answered three of hers and she suspected Draco hadn't even finished one. She couldn't tell because of the stack of books between them.

Her head buried in a book she looked up quickly after feeling something bounce off her head. She stared around her, looking for what had been the cause. She shifted in her seat, causing a paper swan to fall to the floor. She frowned and picked it up.

She sat up a bit and peeked over the smaller stack of books. Her mouth fell open in horror.

"Is that what you have been doing this entire time????" She hissed.

"Maybe….." Draco drawled, an army of origami swans littering his side of the table.

"I can't believe I got stuck working on this VERY important assignment with YOU! Of ALL people!" Ginny said loudly.

Madam Pince shushed fiercely in her direction causing her to shrink back into her chair.

"Aw come on, bird." Draco said softly. Ginny continued to glare at him. "We had fun on the train up here. What happened?"

Ginny's mouth fell open again.

"You were as high as a kite on the train and you damn well know it!" she hissed.

"Not the entire time." He said, winking. Ginny's mouth continued to fall open.

"You're high now aren't you?'

"No! What makes you think that?" He said taken aback.

"How you're acting! You never gave me or any of my family a damn and now you're trying to be all 'buddy buddy' with me. Well its NOT working!"

There was silence for a few minutes between the two.

"And I did NOT have fun on the train over here."

More silence.

"Not even a little bit?" Draco asked.

"Yes." She hissed.

'Okay well it kind of had been fun. In an odd sort of way….' She thought to herself. They hadn't spoken much, not much had gone on, but they had managed not to eat each other on the ride to school. Perhaps since they had survived the train ride they could learn to survive the week. 'As long as that slacker gets to work on this damn assignment!' She thought. She shook her head and went back to working on her forth question.

Another paper swan, this one smaller, dive bombed the stack of books and into the book Ginny was reading. Ginny sighed and pushed it away.

"Are you not going to read it?" came a voice from the other side of the stack of books.

Ginny sighed loudly and slapped down her quill. She unfolded the paper bird and read one word:

Hi

"Hi." Ginny said aloud, annoyed. She tossed the paper aside.

Another swan dive bombed. How was he launching those things? She picked up the second one and opened it as well.

How many questions have you finished

"More than you have." Ginny said smartly.

Another swan bomb.

Wanna bet? Show me

Ginny sighed again, tired of his stupid weirdo Slytherin probably hash induced game.

She held up her paper over the stack of books to show him.

"See? Now get to work." She told the stack of books he was hiding behind. Draco's blonde head came up from behind the stack of books. He held up his paper, his selection of ten questions fully answered. Ginny's mouth was beginning to feel sore from all the falling open it was doing.

"You're done?" She said.

"Yeah. It was pretty easy for me." Draco said.

"Then why did you stay here if you were finished? Why didn't you go off and annoy your friends instead of staying here and annoying me?"

The look on Draco's face made Ginny regret what she had said. She remembered the previous day and how alone he had looked at the Slytherin lunch table.

"I'm…. I'm sorry. That was rude of me to say." She said, looking down at her open books.

"It's all right. You're right. I don't have any friends." Draco said quietly.

"I'm sure you have friends…." Ginny started.

"Not here I don't." He said. "No one wants to be around me after all my family and I have done. A perfect example is you."

There was silence. Ginny twirled her quill between her hands.

"Well. It's true you've done lot of bad things…. And your Aunt almost killed me."

"Well your mom killed my Aunt." He shot back. Ginny frowned.

"Look. Our families have always had differences…." she started again. Draco snorted.

"Big differences." He said.

"Right." Ginny said. "Big differences. But I don't see why people just can't move on from everything. I'm trying to. After my brother died… Well…. That's what I've been trying to do. Move on." Tears welled up in her eyes. She looked away, hoping he wouldn't see.

"I'm trying to move on from Harry. From what my parents expect of us. Harry and I, I mean. Move on from the war. I want to be my own person. The battles changed me. Changed my family. Changed a lot of people. Is it so wrong to think that it could change other people too?"

~*~*~*~

Draco thought hard about what she had said. Was she implying that she thought he had changed too? Or was she just rambling like she had on the train?

"No." Draco said after a while. "It's not wrong."

"It's just how I see it…." She mumbled.

"I'm glad you do." He said. He couldn't tell if it was the light in the dim library but he thought he saw her smile. God she was pretty when she smiled.

A book collided with his forehead.

"Are you okay?" she asked him wide eyed. He had just smacked himself in the head with a massive tome.

"I'm fine." He said, shaking off his thoughts. She gave him a weird look before returning to her paper. He felt awkward sitting there now. It hadn't been a problem when she still thought he was working on his sample questions. But now he felt it was too much. He decided to press the envelope and stay there. After all, she had stayed in the train cabin long after Potter had stopped looking for her.

Another few hours later, Ginny had finished her paper. They swapped their papers to get the answers they missed. They left their book bags at their table as they went to put their books back.

"Are you sure you didn't have even a lints worth of fun on the train?" Draco pressed, carrying the larger stack of books. Ginny went red in the face.

"It was kind of fun. On the run from Potter…. Hiding from him…. Causing him at that panic…. You know he probably was about to send a search party…." Draco whispered. Ginny stifled a giggle badly. It came out anyways. He was funny.

"All right all right….. It was a lints worth of fun." she said.

"So what are you doing two weekends from next week." Draco said. Ginny nearly dropped her books.

"Wh-wh-wha-what?" She spluttered, eyes blinking rapidly.

"What are you doing two weekends from next?" Draco said again, this time slower.

"Probably going to Hogsmeade with Hermione…. Why." Ginny said, eyeing Draco suspiciously.

"Well, since you had fun on the train, maybe we could have fun… there…. In…. town." he trailed off.

Oh God he was digging his grave right then and there what the hell was he doing? What the hell was he saying? He REALLY needed to lay off the hash. Did he just ask the Weasley girl to Hogsmeade?

'It totally isn't a date!' His mind screamed. 'I'm desperate for friends! Oh Merlin I'm a goner….'

"AS FRIENDS!" Draco shouted in the library. Madam Pince gave him a threatening look from around a nearby corner.

"As friends…." Ginny mulled. She had decided she was going to move on with her life. Get past the past. And she couldn't argue with the fact that Draco was being snubbed by the rest of the school and had no friends here.

"On TWO conditions." she said. She set her books down on a shelf. She held up two fingers to Draco and ticked off her conditions.

"Number one: JUST as friends." She said.

"And two: you have to properly ask me by name." She smirked with her final request. Draco smirked back.

He had finally figured out a way to find out her name. When he had asked to see how many questions she had finished on her assignment he had looked at the upper corner of her paper for her name. She was looking at him with the satisfied assumption he was going to spout off some crazy name.

"Fine." He said. He'd play her game.

"Ginny will you go to Hogsmeade with me… As friends." He said.

"That's not-----" She had begun to say. She blushed a deep pink.

"All right. I'll go." she said. She then turned on her heel and headed back to their table to retrieve her book bag.

~*~*~*~

Author's note: This chapter turned out WAY longer than I expected. I hope that's okay with people. I also hope people like this story so far. I know I do. Usually my stories haven't revolved around Draco and Ginny in school so it's a different direction for me. Did you understand the 'lints worth of fun' lines? Like, you know, pocket lint? I don't know. That was the smallest thing I could think of besides 'a dust spec worth of fun'. Please please please review. It would mean a lot to me! Thank you for reading.


	3. Hot N Cold

The Adventure

By RowlingIdol

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't own the song 'Hot N Cold'. This chapter contains slight language. Review if you wish! They are most appreciated.

Chapter 3: Hot N Cold

"Ginny? Ginny. Ginny!"

"Huh?"

"Are you even listening to me?"

Ginny shook her head and turned to her left. Hermione was waving a piece of paper in front of her face.

"I asked you a question!"

"Sorry." Ginny mumbled, looking down. "I didn't hear it."

"How did you get done so fast?" Hermione complained, waving Ginny's finished assignment in her face.

"I don't know. He did them so quickly… And I just barely got through mine." Ginny said.

"Do you think he cheated?" Hermione whispered.

"No! No of course not! I was right there!" Ginny said defensively. Her hands clenched into fists.

"Geez Gin it was just question." Ron said. "Here, lemme see your answer sheet!" Hermione whipped the paper out of Ron's grasp and handed it back to Ginny.

"You are not copying off anyone Ronald." Hermione said. She slumped in her seat.

"I can't believe he did those so fast." She muttered.

"I better check your answers Ginny." Ron said, winking at his sister.

Ginny rolled her eyes and passed her paper over. Ron hurriedly started copying Draco's answers.

"Well you better be careful of him." Harry said. "I know that…" He paused, a hard silence filling the room for several minutes. He swallowed hard. "I know that things are different now…. But please…. Be careful…. For me."

There was more silence in the room. Even Ron had stopped his frantic scribbling for a moment.

"For us." Harry said, noting the uncomfortable feeling in the air.

"Harry's right." Hermione said. "We don't know if he can be trusted. Let's just keep a wary eye" She said.

"If I get a 100 on this assignment I definitely will trust his smarts." Ron grinned, holding up his finished assignment.

Hermione gasped.

"RONALD! I told you- NO CHEATING!"

~*~*~*~

The following Monday the sample assignment was due. The teacher collected the papers from the assigned groups. He glanced at the papers and made comments to each group.

"Hmm hmm… Good effort…" He commented to some. "Ah mmmm… A little work on our penmanship hmmm yes?" The teacher said to Ron whose ears immediately flamed red.

"However, good answers…" He muttered, examining the paper closely. Ron beamed. Hermione glowered.

When the teacher collected Draco and Ginny's assignments he smiled at the papers and then at the two of them.

"Good job good job!" He said, admiring the papers. "I see I made a good choice in pairing you two up." He nodded to them and continued on down the row of students.

"You call this an apostrophe? Oh dear oh dear…." He muttered.

"Please open your pamphlets and read the chapter on preparing quills and inkwells for the test. I will have your graded papers at the end of the next hour. Begin now." He said, settling into his desk chair.

There were groans as students grudgingly got out their thick NEWT prep pamphlets. Hermione was whispering to Ron and Harry if they thought it would be okay if she read ahead, having already read the assigned chapter at breakfast.

"Psst."

Ginny thought she heard something but she ignored it. She folded open her new pamphlet and smoothed the spine of the book so it would lay open easier.

"Psssssst…"

There is was again. There as probably a draft in the room. Or it could have been the noise of the construction of the castle outside.

"PSST!"

Ginny felt something hot on her left ear, her hair being blown by the motion, tickling her cheek. She turned her head only to find herself practically nose to nose with Draco.

"Stop that!" She said, leaning away from him.

"I was only trying to get your attention." He said.

"What? No swans today?" She said. He smirked and leaned back in his desk.

"Oh there are swans today." He said fully grinning now.

"Then where are they." She said, annoyed.

"You'll find out later." Was all he said, waving his hand in a carefree manner.

"Whatever. We're supposed to be reading." she said, turning back around.

"But I didn't get to ask you my question yet." He said. Ginny ignored him. He leaned forward as he had done previously, hovering behind her left shoulder. He blew at her ear. Her hair fluttered against her freckled cheek.

"I said stop it!" Ginny hissed moving away from him.

"Answer my question and maybe I will." He said.

"Fine." she said, grabbing her book and twisting in her seat to face Draco.

"So your brother seemed pleased about his assignment, did he not?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ginny sighed and turned to look towards her brother and her friends. Harry had looked up and gave her an ear to ear smile. He then noticed her body twisted towards Draco, her open pamphlet lying on his desk. His eyes narrowed and he shot a look Draco's way, but Draco had already hidden his face behind his pamphlet. Harry frowned and turned back to his own book, his head occasionally turning in their direction.

"Fine. So he grabbed my assignment and MIGHT have copied…. A little." Ginny admitted. Draco smirked from behind his pamphlet

"If it makes you feel any better, Hermione was sore that you finished the assignment before she did." Ginny told the book.

"Really now?" Draco drawled, lowering the book, eyes sparkling. "Jealous huh?"

"She thinks YOU were the one that cheated." Ginny told him smiling a little.

"Well, I had some NEWT prep before I came back to school…." Draco said.

"So you did cheat…" Ginny said, frowning. Draco frowned as well.

"No no. I didn't cheat. My mother hired a tutor to review my schoolings before I returned. She didn't want me to be behind when I returned to school."

"Oh." Ginny said. That made sense. Anything to get the Malfoy name back up into the good graces of society she assumed.

"Are you mad?" she whispered to him. She bit her lip and looked up at him. Draco felt a weird sensation run through his body.

It felt like a warm liquid had washed over him. It soothed him and made his muscles feel relaxed. He swear he could feel himself sliding down his chair. Was…. Was he… Melting?

'Snap out of it!' a voice in his head screamed. He sat straight up, spooking Ginny in the process. She jumped back at the quick motion.

"Oh…. Oh you are mad…" Ginny said, making a move to turn back around in her seat.

Before he knew what he was doing he reached out for her and touched her shoulder.

Her shoulder felt warm to him. He didn't have time to let his fingers linger because she had turned back around to face him.

"I'm not mad…. Sorry…" Draco said. "I just um…. Remembered something." He said.

"Oh." Ginny said, blinking her eyes a couple of times. Her curiosity got the better of her. "What?'

"That um… Well… Next weekend sure is coming up fast." He said quickly. Ginny went red.

"That it is…." She murmured. She smiled to herself and turned back around in her seat.

Silence had finally taken over the classroom as students were immersed in reading the rules and regulations of how their quills and inkwells needed to be set up on their tables when it came for the NEWT testing day. There was also a long list of the ministry accepted quills and ink brands.

"Are you still going?" Came a voice close to Ginny's left ear again. She could feel her face become warm.

She nodded her head, her loose curls bobbing in response.

"Good." Draco replied. Ginny was about to turn around again when the bell rang. Students clamored for their book bags.

"Wait wait please!" called the teacher. "'Please collect your graded assignment on the way out!"

Hermione made a beeline to the front, leaving Ron to collect her books for her.

Draco followed Ginny up to the front so they could get their assignment.

"Miss Weasley… Mr. Malfoy… Splendid jobs, splendid jobs!" the teacher said, smiling at them. Ginny took her assignment from the teacher and reveled in the red star scribbled at the top. She smiled at the teacher.

"Thank you." She told him.

"You are very very welcome. And nice swans!" The teacher said.

Draco began to laugh, which he quickly tried to hide as a cough. Ginny frowned.

"Swans?" Ginny asked confused.

"Yes! Your hair!" The teacher said.

Ginny reached a hand up to her head and felt around. Somehow, Draco had tangled several of his mini paper swans amongst her curls. She turned and gave Draco a glare. He stared down at her, grinning widely. She hurried out of the classroom, running her fingers frantically through her hair as she went.

~*~*~*~

"So he didn't cheat." Ginny said, plopping herself down in the Gryffindor common room.

"At this point, I don't care if he did. Look at my grade!" Ron announced, holding up his assignment. Hermione frowned at Ron before turning back to Ginny.

"How did you find this out?"

"I asked, obviously." Ginny shrugged, like it was no big deal.

"His mother got him a tutor before he returned to school. He apparently went over some NEWT prep with the tutor." Ginny said.

"Are you sure he wasn't lying to you?" Harry said, striding into the room.

"Why would he lie to me?" Ginny asked, frowning.

"I'm just saying Gin." Harry said, hopping the back of the couch she and Hermione were sitting on, nestling himself between them. "He's not exactly the type of guy one can easily trust right away."

Ginny folded her arms across her chest and inched slightly away from Harry.

"So Gin. What are you doing next weekend?" Harry prompted.

"Oh! Um…. Next weekend?" Ginny squeaked.

"Yeah. First Hogsmeade trip of the year!" He said.

"Yay! That means shopping for parchment!" Hermione squealed. Ron imitated vomiting behind Hermione to Harry and Ginny. They smiled. Hermione turned to face Ron who quickly stopped.

"Hooray!" Ron said in a fake attempt at enthusiasm, raising his arms in sort of a sarcastic cheer. Hermione beamed.

"I knew it was Hogsmeade weekend." Ginny said. "I'm already going with….." She froze. "People." She blurted.

"Oh." Harry said sadly.

"Well…. Would you like to go with me Sunday? Like…. To dinner?" Harry asked. Ginny froze again. She could feel Ron and Hermione's eyes on her.

"Um… Uh…. Okay I guess." She stammered.

"Great!" Harry said. "I will um… make a reservation? That cool?" He asked, jumping up off the couch.

"Yeah, sure. Uh huh." Ginny said, trying to look happy. Harry beamed and gave her a quick kiss on the top of her head before he headed towards the portrait hole.

"I've got to go talk to Professor McGonagall. I'll see you guys later!" He said.

"Later mate!" Ron said, waving after him.

"Bye guys. Bye Gin! Nice swans by the way." He said, winking at her before leaving the common room.

Ginny's hands flew to her hair again. She had missed a couple of the birds.

"Fucking bastard!" She grumbled to herself, shaking her hair on her way up to her dorm room.

~*~*~*~

After a long weekend, classes resumed with the anxiousness of the upcoming fun weekend ahead. Students were allowed to go to Hogsmeade Saturday and Sunday, as long as they were back by curfew. Teachers would be in abundance, everyone still being wary of large group outings after the battles that had ensued not long ago.

Hermione was raving about how she couldn't wait to get her hands on the top grade inkwell listed in the NEWT prep handbook.

"To your seats everyone! Quickly quickly!" The NEWT prep teacher called. "Class has started!"

Ginny hurried back to her seat after quickly promising Hermione they'd go to the quill shop when they got to Hogsmeade.

The teacher began droning on about the dress code expected of those taking the NEWTs. Who knew wearing red could cause students to become disoriented and panicked during test taking? Ginny hoped her hair wouldn't be a problem.

There was a grumbling noise from behind Ginny. She turned and looked at Draco.

"You okay?" She asked.

"Oh I'm FINE." Draco said rudely to her. She frowned and turned back around. He had been so warm and friendly, and yet annoying, to her last Monday. Today he was icy and grumpy. She was dying to know what was bothering him. She turned around again.

"You don't sound fine." She hissed.

"Hmm. One would be fine." he replied. Ginny's eyes narrowed. He was being cryptic. Something definitely was up.

"Why are you so down?" She said, trying to play nice.

"Let me think. I significantly remember you agreeing to go to Hogsmeade this weekend but I can't help but hear with every other word out of Potter's mouth that YOU'RE going with him to Hogsmeade this weekend." Draco spat at her.

"Yeah. On SUNDAY." Ginny said. He was totally over thinking this entire situation.

"I thought we were going." Draco repeated. He was whining like a little bitch now.

"We are."

"But you're going with Potter."

"I am."

"Are you in or out?"

"For what?" Ginny asked, getting confused.

"For our deal."

"Huh?"

"To Hogsmeade. As friends. Are you in or out?"

"I still want to go if that's what you mean." She said. "And may I remind you, you were never specific on the day you wanted to go to Hogsmeade."

Draco's face became cold again.

"Fine. Since you have your DATE with Potter Sunday, we'll go Saturday." Draco said darkly, looking away from her.

Ginny looked down at her hands. She had thought the dinner plans Harry was making was going to be another awkward double date with Ron and Hermione but the more she pieced together- all Harry had gone on about regarding this weekend was involving the two of them.

"I didn't know he meant just the two of us." Ginny told Draco. "Believe me. I'm not thrilled with this. But I can't back out or else I'm going to get flack from Hermione until the next Hogsmeade trip."

Draco mulled over the situation before nodding his head.

"Okay. Fine." He said. Ginny turned back around in her seat.

~*~*~*~

Draco crossed his arms over his chest and glared in Potters direction.

He didn't like his only friend at school hanging around Potter. All Ginny ever did was complain about him anyways. And as immature as it sounded, Draco did NOT like to share. Especially with Potter. Especially sharing Ginny with Potter.

He gripped his NEWT pamphlet, ready to smack himself in the head, much like he had done two weeks ago in the library.

'Damn it Draco! Get a hold of yourself! You've been friends with girls before! You never thought anything of them!' He told himself.

He reflected back on all the females he had ever been considered friends with. There was Pansy. Oh Pansy…

Draco smirked thinking on where she was now. She was engaged to a nephew of the late Igor Karkaroff. She had bragged about it to him before he had left back to school.

'You're going back to that shithole?' Pansy had asked him in shock. 'I'm glad I'm not going back. I've got a wedding to plan.'

'You met the guy a month ago! In a bar!' Draco had said.

'So? He has money.' Pansy had shrugged.

'I have money.' Draco shot back.

'Yeah but your family doesn't want anything to do with those of us who are left.' Pansy pointed out.

'So you don't want anything to do with me because of my parents?' Draco had asked.

'Come on Drakey-poo. We had our fun. But its time I move on.' Pansy had said, patting his cheek.

Draco sighed. Mostly it had been nothing but fooling around between the two of them. A shag there, a shoulder to cry on here… Nothing formal.

Daphne Greengrass was Pansy's partner in crime. Merlin knows what she was up to. Her sister Astoria had come back to school but she hardly paid Draco any attention. She was at least nicer to him than the other Slytherin students.

He hadn't been around the Greengrass sisters much. Granted they were pretty (for Slytherins), Daphne was… Well…. Pretty stupid.

'I hate that stupid Weasel' Draco had said one lunchtime after Ron had been rude to him in class.

'Hahaha! Weasel! That's funny! 'Cause his last name is like…. Weasley!' Daphne had said. Pansy then had proceeded to smack Daphne upside the head.

'Can it, you nit!' Pansy had said.

'Ow that hurrrrrrt!' Daphne had complained.

'Stop being such a ditz you're a Slytherin for Merlin's sake!' Pansy yelled.

Draco smiled. As different as Pansy and Daphne were they were still best friends. Pansy was probably going to have Daphne at her wedding.

But no matter what Draco recalled about his female acquaintances, he had to admit that he never had felt how he was feeling now. It was stupid. Very stupid.

Pansy was the closest thing he ever had to a girlfriend but he had never taken her on a date. Unless you counted the Yule Ball a date. They never had held hands in public, let alone in private. The shaggings were mostly a release, an escape, from his crazy life at home and the whole Dark Arts business.

It wasn't like he didn't like girls that way. He did. Oh yes he did. But Ginny Weasley? Come on! The freckles. The red hair. The second hand clothes and books. The plump mother of hers. Her Muggle obsessed father. Not to mention a gang of tall, angry, red headed brothers, plus Potter, who were very protective of her.

She was the wrong girl at the right time.

The time when he was turning his life around. When things could only look up, not down. She was hot. He was cold. What a cruel world it was.

~*~*~*~

The bell signaled the end of class.

"Spider monkeys!" Ron yelled, the bell waking him out of a dream. Students snickered as they gathered their books.

"Ron how could you fall asleep! Those rules were very important!" Hermione scolded.

He stretched, giving a huge yawn.

"Doesn't matter 'Mione. I'm sure you will remind at least 100 more times between now and the NEWTs." He said. Hermione opened her mouth to reply, but quickly shut it.

"You coming Ginny?" Harry asked, coming around to her side of the classroom. "I will carry your books for you." He said.

"I'm fine. You guys go to dinner without me. I need to ask the teacher a question about one of the rules." She lied.

"Okay. I will take your books then. Save you a spot?" He said, reaching for her bag.

"Sure I guess." Ginny said, shrugging.

"All right. See you at dinner." Harry said. He reached down and grabbed her faded book bag off the floor, gave her cheek a quick peck before heading out the door. Ginny sighed and let her head fall onto her desk with a loud 'thud'.

"Ow!" She said, sitting back up again, rubbing her forehead.

"Hurt yourself?" Draco drawled, still sitting in his seat behind her. She turned to face him.

"What's it matter to you?: She asked, holding her head.

"Better catch up to Potter so he can kiss it all better." He snapped.

"You know you really should see a doctor." Ginny spat.

"Me? You're the one who hit your head." Draco said.

"You're so bi-polar today." Ginny said. "You're like a rollercoaster with your mood swings. I want off this ride." She stood up, and huffed out of the classroom. Draco scrambled after her.

"So does this mean you don't want to go to Hogsmeade anymore?" He asked panicked. They were in the hall now, crowded with the students headed to their houses to get ready for dinner.

"I didn't say that." Ginny said.

"Then what do you mean?" He asked.

"I'm sick of your attitude. Either you're going to be friends with me or you're not. Make up your mind." She said.

Draco grabbed her arm and pulled her into a side hallway.

"You change your mind like a girl changes clothes." Ginny told him. He looked puzzled.

"Which is a LOT." Ginny said.

"Well I wouldn't know since I'm not a girl." He said.

"You sure PMS like one." Ginny said.

"PM what?"

"Whatever. I should know that you're not going to change." Ginny said, pulling her arm out of his grasp to get away. He grabbed it back and pulled her close to him.

"You don't think I've changed?" He hissed.

"You're not acting like it now." She said.

"I've changed a LOT I will have you know." Draco said. "Us being here right now is proof enough. Do you deny that?"

She was quiet as they stood in the empty hallway together.

"No. I don't deny it. You have changed…"

"See?" Draco pressed.

"But you sure are acting a lot like you were before Voldemorts return." She said.

She had a point. He was being grouchy and rude. Not at all he wanted to be acting towards Ginny.

"All right…. I'm sorry. I'll try to be more like I was before." He said. Ginny raised her eyebrow.

"I mean before this week…. Not a couple of years ago." He stuttered.

"All right." Ginny said.

"Do you still want to go to Hogsmeade?" Draco asked hopefully.

"I said I'd go. I haven't changed my mind on that." She said.

"Good." Draco said.

"So….. Where did you want to meet?" She asked.

"What?"

"In Hogsmeade. Where do you want to meet?" She asked again.

"Oh! Um…. The town square I guess?" Draco said, remembering the fountain at the middle of the village.

"Okay. I will see you there at noon." she said. She walked off without another word.

~*~*~*~

Author's Note: Next two chapters will be doozies can tell you that. This was my filler chapter I guess. I hope you readers don't hate the fact that things will speed up. It was bound to anyways. And its not like its been a day story wise. Its been a couple of weeks. Plus… Well…. You're just going to have to find out now won't you? And I'm seriously thinking about naming the NEWT prep teacher Mr. Repeto, because I make him repeat words a lot, LOL.

Also- I haven't decided if this takes place the September of 1998, months after the Battle of Hogwarts, or its in September of 1999, a year and some months after the Battle of Hogwarts. I'm going off of September of 98. I hope that's not pushing the story. I appreciate all the reviews so far. Thanks for reading and please continue to do so! :)


	4. Stripper

The Adventure

By RowlingIdol

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't own the song 'Stripper'. I also don't own 'Gossip Girl', from which this chapter was inspired, quotes included. This chapter contains slight language, teen drinking and sexual references. Review if you wish! They are most appreciated.

Chapter 4: Stripper

"First… We can go to the quill shop. I want to get that inkwell before they run out." Hermione planned the day for Ginny as they got ready in their dorm room.

"Then I figured we could head on over to Gladrags to see if they have any new sweaters. And after that, we could meet up with the boys at Honeydukes."

Hermione turned to Ginny.

"Oh Ginny! You look so pretty today! What's the occasion?" Hermione winked.

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"I don't look 'pretty' Hermione. I'm doing my usual morning routine." Ginny said, twisting her hair around her wand, which had been heated up with a charm. She slid her wand out from under her hair, a silky red curl bouncing out.

"Well sure you're wearing your normal clothes but you're curling your hair!"

"So?" Ginny said, curling another section of hair.

"You only curl your hair for special occasions. I thought you were going out with Harry tomorrow!"

"I am. Ginny said, sighing into the mirror.

"You want to look special for him today! Oh how sweet!" Hermione said, clapping her hands.

Ginny rolled her eyes when Hermione turned away to brush her bushy hair.

She had been trying to look nicer today, but not for Harry. Draco always seemed to look nice, with everything from his clothes to his hair. He wore wizard designer brands, the most expensive ones. His shoes were always shiny and polished.

And Ginny? Well… Her clothes consisted of second hand clothes that once had been too big. Her mother had taken them in for her. Her shoes had scuffs and signs of wear. She at least put on her best jumper today. Green, to go with her hair. She opted for a khaki skirt to go with the sweater. She had a thick pair of knee highs on and her nicest looking pair of shoes. What she was going to wear tomorrow night on her date with Harry? She had no idea.

"You ready to go?" Hermione asked, buttoning up her blue jacket.

"Sure. Let me grab my money." Ginny said. She rummaged in her trunk for her leather drawstring bag of her saved pocket money. She stuffed it into the pocket of her skirt.

"Ready." Ginny said. Hermione held out her hand for her and the two friends laughed and giggled on their way down the stairs.

~*~*~*~

"Students must be back by curfew!" Professor McGonagall was calling to the students as they filed out of the grand doors of Hogwarts.

"I expect everyone to be back here on time! You can return to Hogsmeade tomorrow so there should be no reason why students are late!!!"

"Yeah yeah…" Ron muttered as they walked past the Headmistress on their way out of school.

"Behave yourselves!!!" She yelled, in Harry and Ron's direction. They sniggered to themselves.

"Men." Hermione said to Ginny. They laughed.

"So who are you meeting in town, Gin?" Hermione casually asked, causing Ginny to cough on the sharp breath she had taken at the mention of Hermione's question.

"Oh um… *cough cough* Some of the other 7th year girls in my Herbology class." Ginny lied.

"That's nice! Maybe we will see Neville today." Hermione said cheerfully.

The walk to the village of Hogsmeade was a quick one. Probably with everyone so anxious to be out and about.

When they had reached town, Harry and Ron hurried off in the direction of where they could find Quidditch supplies.

"Not so fast!" Hermione yelled after them.

"Aw! But 'Mione!!!" Ron whined.

"We are GOING to Scrivenshaft's for my inkwell!" Hermione said, grabbing the back of Ron's sweatshirt and dragging him in the direction of the quill shop.

"You coming Gin?" Harry asked her.

"I'll be there in a second okay? I wanted to stop at the post office." Ginny lied yet again.

"Okay then." Harry said. He turned to leave but turned back again.

"By the way… You look really lovely today Ginny." He said smiling at her. Ginny went red in the face.

"Thanks." she mumbled. Harry's smile became wider at this response. Ginny waited for him to be far enough away before heading towards the fountain in the Hogsmeade town square.

~*~*~*~

Draco was seated casually on the stone foundation of the fountain. People passing by didn't give him a second glance. He glanced at his watch and then back up again. It was almost noon. Where was she? What if she was just playing him for a fool? What if she set him up? What if she ditched him for Potter? Draco clenched his hands into fists at the thought of being stood up by a Weasley. He was going out of his way to show her that he had changed, Merlin knows why.

There was a tap on his shoulder. Draco turned around.

"Hi." Ginny said brightly to him. He nearly fell back into the fountain.

"Hi." Draco said, eyes wide as he quietly admired her.

She looked so perfect today. Her legs were longer than he thought. Maybe it was just the knee highs she was wearing. The skirt she wore hugged her in all the right places. The sweater she wore pleasantly showed off her chest. And she was wearing his favorite color, green.

"You look positively…." Draco started.

"What? Poor?" Ginny frowned, tugging at her sweater. Draco swallowed hard.

"Positively Slytherin." Draco said, composing himself. He smirked. "What have you done with Ginny Weasley from Gryffindor?"

"Oh stop!' Ginny said, giggling and slapping Draco's arm playfully.

'OH MY GOD Did I just FLIRT with him?' Screamed Ginny's mind.

'OH MY GOD Did I just FLIRT with her?' Draco's mind screamed as well.

The two smiled at each other in silence, minds racing with their innermost thoughts.

"Yes well…. *ahem*" Draco said finally. He stuffed his hands in the pockets of his khaki pants. "I expected you to um….. Wear red." He said stupidly.

"Well you're wearing black." Ginny pointed out. "That's not a Slytherin color."

"All my green shirts were dirty?" Draco said, shrugging. Ginny giggled again.

"So um. What do you want to do first?" she then asked.

"I don't know. I'm surprised you even showed up. I hadn't planned anything."

"Surprised I even showed up? What kind of friend do you think I am?" Ginny said, putting her hands on her hips. She sighed.

"Well. I guess I can't be mad at that. If it was me I probably would think the same thing." She said. Draco looked down.

"Want to head to the Three Broomsticks for lunch?" He suggested.

"Sure." Ginny said. She turned quickly in the direction of the Three Broomsticks, Draco following close behind.

"What are your friends up to." Draco asked her as they walked down the street.

"Oh they're off at the Quill shop. Then they were headed to Gladrags." Ginny replied.

"Are you worried we're going to run into them?" Draco asked.

"Not really." She shrugged. "Are you?"

"No." Draco lied.

"Liar." Ginny said, turning to him.

"Why do you think I'm lying?" Draco asked.

"The look on your face." She said, smiling at him.

"There's nothing wrong with my face." Draco said, frowning.

"You pale at the mention of my brother and Harry." Ginny said. Draco frowned some more. Damn. She was right.

"Well so do you." He shot back. Ginny glared at him before turning back around.

Moments later….

"Oh bloody hell look out!" Draco said from behind her. "It's Harry!"

"WHERE!" Ginny practically screamed, stopping suddenly, causing Draco to run into her. She began to fall forward but Draco's hands had already reached out and grabbed around her waist, pulling her back upright.

Draco began to laugh. She twisted around to face him.

"Who's the pale one now?" Draco asked. Ginny went from white in the face to red.

"You jerk! That really frightened me!" Ginny said to him.

"I'm sorry. It had to be done." Draco said, smirking some more. Ginny frowned at him.

"You're going to get it." Ginny said, poking a finger at his chest.

"Oh really?" Draco said. He still had his hands around her waist. He pulled her a little closer to him.

Ginny went redder in the face. Draco let go.

"Thanks…." Ginny muttered, brushing imaginary lint off her skirt.

"Shall we continue?" Draco asked. Ginny nodded, and brushed her curls out of her face.

After a bit they had reached the Three Broomsticks. It was full of students but they were lucky to find a table to themselves in the back.

A flustered witch in her twenties came over for their order.

"I'll have um…. The toasted ham and cheese with a tea." Ginny said, handing the menu back to the waitress.

"I will have the roast with a Butterbeer." Draco said, not even looking at the menu.

"Right away." The witch said. She hurried away, scribbling on a pad of parchment.

It was silent between the two. Ginny fidgeted with the cloth napkin in her lap.

"Um… How are you today?" She asked him.

"All right. You?" Draco replied.

"Fine thanks." was her response.

"How um…. How is your family?" Ginny continued. Draco gave a huge sigh.

"Different."

"Oh?" Ginny inquired. Her tea was brought over and she began mixing sugar into it from the container provided at the table.

"All ties my family had seem to be severed. We no longer want to be recognized with those still loyal to Dark Arts."

"So you mean there are still active dark witches and wizards out there?" Ginny asked.

"Yes." Draco nodded. He took a sip of his Butterbeer which had just arrived.

"There's no one to serve but it still doesn't stop them from thinking that they shouldn't have been the losing team."

"Do we have to fear another attack?" Ginny meekly asked. Draco shook his head.

"I don't think so. My family wouldn't know anyways. After our house arrest, Mother and Father wanted nothing to do with the Dark Arts anymore. I never wanted anything to do with them in the first place. Getting Death Eaters into Hogwarts? That was a punishment for my Father that Voldemort directed be dolled out through me. All the things Voldemort wanted me to do were totally against my nature."

It was quiet again between the two.

"Wow." Ginny whispered. Draco looked away from her. He had probably said too much.

"So…. What is your nature." Ginny asked,

"I don't even know anymore." Draco sadly admitted.

"Well…. I think you're actually very kind." Ginny said softly, going pink in the cheeks.

"Granted you can be very rude and pig headed and snobbish." Ginny said after Draco had begun to smile. The smile faded as quickly as it had appeared.

"But you care for your family and your friends. It's a good thing your Father has learned his family is more important than torturing innocent people."

"It is different…. Like I said." Draco said. He smiled to himself. She thought him a kind person. Wasn't it just like a Weasley to think that.

Their food arrived and they ate while making idle chit chat about NEWT prep.

"How do you think you're going to do?" Ginny asked.

"Fine. I just wish it wasn't so rushed." Draco admitted.

"I have until the end of the year to take mine. You and the other 8th years have to have them done by the winter break." Ginny reminded him.

"That's right. Lucky you, getting extra study time."

Ginny smiled.

"Well, Hermione is all uppity about it. She was off getting a top grade inkwell just for the NEWTs earlier."

"That sure sounds like Granger." Draco said, rolling his eyes. Ginny set her napkin down on the table.

"Speaking of Hermione, I ought to go find them." She said.

"Where are you going to look?"

"At Honeydukes. Its where the boys spend the most time." Ginny said shrugging.

"Mind if I walk you there?" Draco asked, standing up. Ginny blushed and shook her head. They paid for their food. Draco did so with ease, plopping down one Galleon and two Sickles. Ginny, however, had to count out her money in Sickles and Knuts.

~*~*~*~

While they walked back up towards the town square, a building off to the side of the Hogs Head, caught Draco's eye. He stopped.

"What's wrong?" Ginny asked.

"Give me a minute, all right?" Draco asked her. She nodded and he opened the windowless door. A bell jingled as he closes it behind him.

"Sorry we're closed!" Called a familiar voice from behind a bar in the dark building.

"Real original name." Draco called out, walking towards the bar. A tall thin boy walked out from a room behind the bar.

"Well. I thought it had a nice ring to it." The figure told Draco. A lamp flickered on and the grinning face of Blaise Zabini shone in the light. Draco grinned.

"Hey mate! What are you doing here? You come to visit little ol' me?" Blaise said, all the while cleaning a beer stein.

"I was in town if that's what you mean." Draco replied. "So what is this place?"

"My first business!" Blaise said. "Zabini's is going to be _the _nighttime spot for young wizards and witches. You just wait until this place is in its full swing."

"So it's a club?" Draco asked, looking around the array of the building. There was a stage. The bar stretched far and wide across one wall. Tables and couches of a variety of size and shape were scattered here and there. There was a section in the far corner near the stage where it seemed more private than other places.

"Right-o!" Blaise said. "Got the apartment upstairs to boot! Employee's only." Blaise said, winking at Draco.

"Don't tell me you employ whores…" Draco said, giving Blaise a wary eye.

"Well they don't have a problem expressing themselves sexually if that's what you mean." Blaise said with another wink.

Draco shook his head, chuckling.

"What can I say? I loved the idea of being a patron of burgeoning talent" Blaise ended with a flourishing gesture of his hand.

"You haven't changed a bit." He told his old friend.

"You have. I still can't believe you went back to Hoggy Warty Hogwarts." Blaise said, reaching for another stein to clean.

"You know my parents." Draco said, casually leaning on the bar.

"You're welcome here anytime, open or close. I consider it a place for one to escape…" Blaise said, giving their surroundings a dreamy look.

"I will keep that in mind." Draco said. "How did you afford this place anyways? Is wizard real estate really that easy?"

"Not one stinking bit!" Blaise laughed.

"Mum's inheritance from her second to last marriage helped with the full building purchase, apartment included. And I helped buy all these wonderful furniture pieces." Blaise said.

"Ah." Draco looked around at the furniture once again. Some of the styles were questionable, but to each his own.

"Well I need to get back outside." Draco said, pointing to the door over his shoulder with his thumb.

"All right then. Do stop by though! I'm not open Monday through Wednesday but you're welcome to stop by anyways. Ring twice when we're closed, okay?"

"Will do." Draco said. Blaise stuck out his hand and Draco shook it before hurrying back outside. He looked around for Ginny but didn't see her right away.

"Here I am." she said. She had been leaning against the wall of the building of Zabini's club. "What took you so long? They're not even open."

"I know the owner." Draco said. "Actually, so do you."

Ginny looked up at the sign above the door.

"Zabini's? Real original…." Ginny said, shaking her head.

"That's what I said!" Draco said, grinning. Ginny smiled back. They started walking again.

"He says it's a club. A place for people to-" Draco paused and wiggled his fingers for affect. "Escape!" Ginny giggled.

"Maybe we should go sometime." She thought aloud. Draco tried not to smile. She said 'we'. That meant she wanted to go out again.

"Even though he's a poser…." Ginny added.

"He's not at all like that if you get to know him." Draco said. "You'll see." He said.

"You're probably right. After all, you're not all that bad once I got to know you too." Ginny said, cocking her head to the side and giving him a smile.

Draco's heart felt funny all of the sudden. Maybe it was heartburn from lunch.

"Honeydukes is up ahead. I ought to get going. By myself." Ginny told him.

His heart felt funny again, like it suddenly weighed a ton.

"All right. Well…. Um…." Draco stuttered.

They just stood there, as if they were unsure of parting ways. Draco felt like sticking out his hand for a handshake but that seemed stupid. He shuffled his feet. Ginny took a step forward.

"I ought to get going." She repeated.

"You said that already." Draco said. She blushed.

"Yes well…. Um…."

It happened in a flash. She took a quick step forward, wrapped her arms around his torso unexpectedly, and released almost immediately.

"Bye!" She said quickly. She turned around without a glance back and raced off towards the sweet shop.

Draco was positive he probably looked as smart as a Troll as he stood in the middle of the street reveling in what just happened.

Was that a hug?

~*~*~*~

Ginny hurried into Honeydukes and breathed heavily as the door shut behind her with a bell chime. A trio of people at the checkout turned to look at her.

"There you are! We've been looking for you for hours!" Ron said, mouth full of freshly purchased licorice wand.

"Oh I was out… Um. Window shopping. Um… Then I went to the Three Broomsticks for lunch." Ginny said.

"Alone?" Harry asked.

"Yeah well…." Ginny started. "I thought we were meeting there for lunch but you guys didn't show up so I just ate and then came here."

"We went to Madam Puddifoots." Hermione said, staring lovingly at Ron who went red.

"Oh. Well, just a misunderstanding." Ginny said, shrugging her shoulders and avoided looking Harry in the face.

"We still have time to visit the Quidditch store, so why don't we head that way?" Hermione said, looking around at their little group.

"Sure! I hope they have new Cannons equipment in!" Ron said, grabbing Hermione's hand and practically dragging her out of the store.

"So Ginny." Harry said, following closely behind Ginny. "I made reservations for us tomorrow night at Madam Puddifoots. And don't worry, I made sure there would be no cherubs and confetti this time." Harry said. Ginny gave him a weak smile.

"Sounds perfect." She said through gritted teeth.

"I will wait for you in the common room at eight o' clock." He said. Ginny just nodded.

"Hey is that Malfoy over there?" Ron asked the group as they made their way towards the Quidditch shop.

"I think so." Hermione said. "I wonder why he's just standing there in the middle of the street. You think he's okay?"

"Looks like he got hit by a stunning spell. Git probably deserved it." Ron replied. Ginny giggled to herself.

~*~*~*~

"You look FINE!" Hermione said to Ginny for the umpteenth time.

"Are you sure?" Ginny asked, admiring herself in the bathroom mirror. She had borrowed an array of clothes from Hermione for her date with Harry. She had curled her hair again, and topped it off with a wide headband. The dress was itchy, but she would never tell Hermione that, so she wore a slip underneath it. It zipped down the side with a faux ribbon bow belt around the middle. She added two long strings of pearls, one white, one dark, to the ensemble. She was glad she had packed her only pair of high heeled shoes. They're weren't anything fancy, but at least they went with the dress nicely.

"It's almost eight. You should go down at meet him. Ooooh this is so exciting!" Hermione squealed, clapping her hands.

"It's just a date Hermione. Calm down!" Ginny said.

"But I can tell it will be a special night for you!" Hermione said, winking.

Hermione was right. It would be a special night for Ginny. But not in the way Hermione was thinking.

"Don't forget your sweater." Hermione said, handing her a button up black sweater.

"Go go!" Hermione said, shoving Ginny out the door. Ginny nearly stumbled down the stairs but she caught herself.

She peeked into the common room from the girls stairwell. Harry was sitting on a couch waiting for her. He stood up when she entered the room.

"Hey. You look beautiful tonight." He said, coming over to greet her. She went red.

"Thanks." She said. "Shall we go?"

Harry nodded and handed her his arm. She took it out of politeness.

"Did you have a pleasant day yesterday?" Harry asked, making small talk as they walked down to Hogsmeade. Professor McGonagall nodded at them on their way out.

"Remember the curfew students!" She called after them. They both waved to her and continued on.

"It was nice."

"I wish you could have hung out with us longer." Harry said wistfully. Ginny suddenly felt guilty.

"I had a lot on my mind. I lost track of time while shopping." Ginny said, looking at Harry, hoping her lie was working.

"It's alright." He said with a smile.

It had.

He reached for her hand and grabbed it, intertwining their fingers together. He raised their hands up to his lips and gently kissed her hand. Ginny blushed.

When they reached Madam Puddifoots' Harry opened the door for her and took her sweater. He also held her chair out for her when she sat down. The table was lit with candles floating in the air. Much better than cherubs.

Tea was brought to them by Madam Puddifoot herself. They didn't have much meal wise for offer at the café but it was at least fancier than the Three Broomsticks. A tray of mini sandwiches were brought to them along with an extensive dessert menu.

After much silence and stares, the latter on Harry's part, Harry opened his mouth to speak.

"Ginevra." He said softly, reaching for her hand.

'Oh god now what.' Ginny thought. People only used her full name if she was in trouble. Or if they needed to have a serious discussion with her. She swallowed hard.

"Yes Harry?" she asked, eyes wide.

"I wanted to ask you something."

"O-kay…" Ginny answered slowly.

"You've been kind of distant ever since we got back to school. I've been trying to talk to you for a while…" Harry started. Ginny could feel herself beginning to shake.

"It's been hard on me." She said, trying to steady her voice. "You should know that better than anybody."

"You're right. I do. And I do understand where you're coming from." He said gently. He stroked her hand in an affectionate manner.

"I can't help think that you've been avoiding me." He said sadly. Ginny gulped.

"You could have talked to me before." Ginny answered.

"I've tried Ginny. But every time I try, something else has your attention. In the Great Hall during meals. Especially during NEWT prep. You're always day dreaming or something."

"I---" Ginny said.

"I just want to know Ginny…" Harry said. He took a deep breath.

"Do you love me?"

Ginny's shoulders relaxed slightly. She had been unaware of how tense she had become.

"Harry…" She said. "You know I do. But…. Things have changed. You've changed. I've changed."

Harry hung his head.

"I know but…."

"But what, Harry?" Her voice quivering and raising slightly. "You were the one who left me."

"For your safety!" Harry reminded her.

"Yeah I know. But it still hurt." Ginny said, looking away. A tear rolled down her cheek.

"What about my birthday present?" He asked.

"I didn't get you one this year. You said you didn't want one." Ginny said, wiping her cheek with her free hand.

"The one before the war." Harry said, blushing slightly.

"So we snogged." Ginny answered. "And then Ron interrupted." Ginny laughed a little at the memory.

"Yeah…. Stupid Ron…" Harry muttered.

"He told me not to get your hopes up you know." Harry told her. Ginny nodded and sniffled.

"Yeah, I kind of guessed that. It didn't help it from happening though."

There was a long pause while Madam Puddifoot came and took their sandwich plate. After she left, Ginny continued.

"And after the war…. I waited for you." She said. Harry chuckled.

"I was waiting for you." He admitted. Ginny smiled a little.

"I thought that I was doing everything right to get you back…" He continued. "It's my fault."

"It's not your fault." Ginny assured him. "It's just….. I don't know." She trailed off.

"After a while I gave up on you." Ginny told him, causing his face to fall.

"I haven't given up on you." He said.

'I've noticed.' Ginny thought.

He squeezed her hand and gave her a hopeful smile.

"Well, I guess the point of tonight was to ask you…. Um… To rethink things." He said. Ginny looked at him confused.

"Rethink what?" She asked.

"Us." Harry said.

"Oh."

There was another pause as Madam Puddifoot brought them their dessert, German chocolate cake.

"I will." Ginny told Harry. It was the truth. She would rethink their relationship. She'd consider getting back together with Harry. How much she would rethink things was an entirely different story.

"Great." Harry said, immediately perking up. Maybe it was the chocolate.

"Ron's going to kill me when he finds out we ordered chocolate cake." Harry said, light heartedly changing the subject.

~*~*~*~

After Harry paid the bill and they made their way back up to the castle, it was ten o' clock. Curfew was still good for another two hours.

Professor McGonagall had left her post at the gates. Filch had taken over the watch and eyed the couple suspiciously as they walked past. Harry helped Ginny into the portrait hole.

"I had a good time." Harry said to Ginny. She gave him a smile.

"Thanks for taking me out." Ginny said. Harry was still holding onto her hand. He pulled her close and paused for a moment before leaning down and giving her a lingering kiss. Ginny let him kiss her. Oh why did she let him do that.

"Good night." Harry said after he pulled away.

"Good night." Ginny said. Harry turned and went towards the boys dormitory. Ginny stood still in the middle of the empty common room.

'I need to get out of here.' Ginny's mind told her. 'Now.'

Ginny didn't need to stop and think about where she was going. She went back out the portrait hole, stirring the Fat Lady who had fallen back asleep in her frame.

'Fiddlesticks….' The Fat Lady muttered before snoring again. Ginny needed a way to sneak back out of the castle. She doubted Filch would let her leave the school with an hour and a half left until curfew. The walk to Hogsmeade took at least 20 minutes. If she ran she could make in less.

She hurried down the stairs as fast as she could in her shoes. She crept up silently to the gates leading out to the path to Hogsmeade.

The large door creaked as it slowly opened.

Ginny breathed a sigh of relief as she spied Filch slumped over in a chair, snoring loudly. She walked slowly past, careful the click of her heels against the path didn't wake him. When she was far enough away she pulled out her wand from the pocket of the dress.

"Lumos!" she said. She used the light of the now lit wand to find her way down to Hogsmeade. It seemed empty but the further she walked down High Street she started passing other students, most likely on their way back to the castle. Other people she saw hanging around the Hogs Head were probably residents, as they looked older.

She got a couple of odd stares as she approached her destination. She could hear loud thumping music from beside the Hogs Head. She quickly let herself into the club.

It was dim and dark in the club, but it was lit enough so one could see where they were going. The light had a reddish hue to it. She saw the back of Blaise Zabini at the bar mixing a drink for one of the many patrons of his establishment.

Ginny looked around awkwardly. It was loud in the club. Ginny didn't expect any less, but it was annoying just the same. She wandered around the main floor before heading towards the stage area.

There, slumped on a couch, she saw him.

She made her way past a gaggle of girls, most likely drunk, and over to the couch.

~*~*~*~

"Is this seat taken?" someone asked loudly next to him. Draco turned his head to see who was asking.

He didn't believe it.

"By all means." Draco told Ginny, gesturing with his drink. She plopped down and sighed.

Draco took a sip of his drink and turned his head slightly to look at her. Her outfit seemed out of place. It was obviously borrowed.

He had been at Zabini's for several hours. He had chosen a couch and no one had dared to bother him. He had given Blaise several gold Galleons for access to the bar for that evening. Thankfully, Blaise hadn't even questioned why.

Draco had sat on the couch, watching the hours tick by on his watch. He knew she had been off getting ready for the date with Potter earlier that day. He hated how it made him feel. It made him feel like he was slowly being tortured. Waiting for the day to end, so he could see her again come Monday during NEWT prep. It was a pleasant surprise that she was here now. He couldn't help but ask…

"How was your date." He said in a monotone.

"I don't want to talk about it." She said, not looking at him.

"I just want to escape. That's what this place is for, right?"

Draco nodded slightly. That was the reason he was here too. To escape his thoughts of Ginny on her date with Potter. It made his blood feel hot with anger.

Ginny stared around at their surroundings. There was a small white table in front of their couch with an antique phonograph perched in the middle. Off to the side was a silver bucket that held ice and a bottle of champagne. Glasses were set next to the bucket. Ginny reached over and poured herself a glass, Draco trying not to shocked.

Ginny leaned back on the couch and downed half of the champagne in one gulp. She sighed again.

There were cheers as the burlesque dancers strutted out onto the stage.

Draco made a mental note to comment on the choice of the burlesque theme of the club to Blaise later. The music changed and lights flashed to the stage for the dancers.

It wasn't very entertaining. The dancers weren't very good, not to mention not the best looking, but the men in the club cheered anyways.

To avoid watching the show any longer, Draco turned his attention back to Ginny.

"I know you don't want to talk about what happened, but---"

"Relief." she said quickly, cutting him off. "I feel relief." Draco stared at her for a moment before turning back towards the stage.

Ginny was on her second glass of champagne now. The dancers were starting their next dance.

"You know, I've got moves." Ginny said suddenly. Draco looked over at her in disbelief.

" Really?" he said, smirking "Then why don't you get up there?" He whispered in her ear, loud enough for her to hear over the music.

Ginny shook her head away from him.

"No! I'm just saying, I have moves." She shrugged and took another sip of her drink.

Draco scooted closer to her on the couch.

"Come on, you're 10 times hotter than any of those girls." He said. Ginny gave a small laugh.

"I know what you're doing Malfoy." Ginny said, turning to him. Draco continued to smirk. Ginny's face became serious.

"You really don't think I'll go up there." She said to him.

"I know you won't do it." He replied, taking a swig from his drink. Ginny stared at him. He had called her a goody two shoes before and she suddenly felt compelled to prove that ferret wrong.

"Guard my drink." She told him. She stood up from the couch with a little bounce in her step. There were loud cheers as she trotted up the stairs to the stage, joining in with the dancers.

With a shake of her hips in her borrowed dress, Ginny slowly reached up to her head for the headband. She slipped it off and tossed it casually to the floor of the stage. The cheers got louder.

The dancers caught on quickly. They mimicked Ginny's hip shaking, hovering in the background. Ginny turned to her side, staring straight into the audience at Draco as she reached for the side zipper of the dress. In three pulls the zipper was down the dress slid gracefully to the floor. Ginny stepped out from the dress around her feet, the slip shining brightly in the spotlight.

Draco stood up, amazed at the vixen that was staring at him from the stage. Ginny's lips and eyes smirked at him from. She shook her hips some more, raising her hands above her head.

He took a step closer. Was this really happening? He wasn't drunk, only a bit buzzed. He was in shock and awe.

Ginny proceeded to stare back. She sensually stroked her red curls, turning to give Draco a provocative look over the shoulder.

Cheers continued throughout the club. Even Blaise had escaped his bar long enough to see what was going on. He came over to Draco and watched the impromptu act enfold over Draco's shoulder.

"Who's that girl?" Blaise asked. Draco's mouth hung slightly open as he watched Ginny continue to sashay her hips on the stage.

"I have no idea." Draco said. He could not believe that girl, no, woman, on stage was little Ginny Weasley.

"You go baby vamp!" Someone in the audience called. The calls continued.

"Hey! Stripper!"

Ginny laughed for a moment. She moved her hands slowly down the front of her slip, hiking up the bottom of slip ever so slightly above her thigh. She smiled coyly at Draco and proceeded with more hip shaking. With a change of the music, she sexily slunk down to floor, playing with the strands of pearls around her neck in the process.

With a large tip of his glass, Draco finished his drink and he held the empty glass up to her in cheers. Ginny laughed at this, her face glowing in the spotlight.

'I want to be your mister.'

As you might have guessed, prohibition never stood a chance against exhibition. It's human nature to be free. And no matter how long you try to be good, you can't keep a bad girl down. And tonight, Ginny was goody two shoes no more.

With a shake of her curls, she sashayed down the steps amid the throngs of cheers from the crowd. Draco stepped forward and held out his hand. Ginny needn't rethink anything as she took his hand and let him lead her away from the stage and the crowd.

"That was sure something." Draco said as they took refuge in one of the private booths in the back. Ginny collapsed onto the couch breathless.

"I can't believe I did that." She said, a smile lingering on her face.

"I can't believe you did that either." Draco said. He pulled the curtains around the booth shut, leaving the two of them doused in candlelight.

"Want to talk about that date now?" Draco inquired. Ginny laughed.

"He wants me to rethink getting back together." she said, shaking her head and staring up at the ceiling. Her chest heaved as she winded down from her adrenaline rush. Draco couldn't help but watch as her chest rose and fell in a seductive manner.

"And?" Draco said, tearing his eyes away from her. "What do you think?"

She shook her head again and sat up straighter.

"I don't know. So many things…. I'm afraid if I go back to him I'm just setting myself up to be left again. Or for disappointment."

"Disappointment how?"

"Harry Potter is two people." Ginny said. Draco looked puzzled. Ginny sighed.

"There is Harry Potter, the boy who lived, and then Harry Potter, just Harry." Ginny elaborated.

"Ah." Draco said.

"He kissed me tonight." She said. Draco felt his hands ball up into fists.

"I didn't want it." she added. Draco's hands loosened.

"I don't want to lose my friends by not choosing him." Ginny said. "But I don't want to choose him if he's not what I want."

"Do you know what you want?" Draco asked, his heart skipping a beat. A mumble came out of her mouth but Draco couldn't hear what it was. She shrugged. He at least understood that. They sat in silence for a while, the music of the club in the background.

"Thanks for listening." She said to him. Draco turned his head to her for moment.

"You were….. Amazing up there." Draco said, then staring off into the club through the crack in the curtains.

There was shift in the cushion of the couch as Ginny has scooted closer to Draco. He turned to look at her. Without thinking his hand reached out and lightly touched one of hers. She slid her fingers in-between his and curled her hand into a fist, pulling his hand into hers. She inclined her head towards his just ever so slightly. Draco took in a shuddering breath and leaned in to her.

Their lips softly met in the dark room. She tasted like champagne and chocolate. A combination that when he tasted it on his tongue, made his heart feel like it was running a mile a minute. Their lips parted, Ginny's warm brown eyes staring into his. His chest felt like it was going to burst. Ginny slowly blinked at him, biting her lip, eyes wondering if she had done wrong. Draco wanted more and he could tell she did too. He lowered his head towards her.

"You sure?" he whispered.

Ginny lifted her head to meet Draco's. He didn't need words. Her lips upon his was answer enough.

~*~*~*~

Author's Note: How about them cliffhangers? LOL. Okay so a LOT of this was taken from Gossip Girl Season 1, Episode 7: Victor Victrola. My favorite episode of the show ever. Or at least from the first season. I'm glad I've received 900+ hits on my story, but 7 reviews? Really? Thanks to those who have reviewed though! I have been working on this chapter for several days now and I've stayed up too late finishing it so I am turning in. I will be working on the next chapter as soon as possible. It's going to be another doozy. I hope everyone who is reading is enjoying the story. Please review and goodnight! :)


	5. Right Round

The Adventure

By RowlingIdol

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't own the song 'Right Round'. I also don't own 'Gossip Girl', from which parts of this chapter were inspired, quotes included. This chapter contains slight language, teen drinking and sexual references. Review if you wish! They are most appreciated.

Author's Note- To Moogle- Thanks for your reviews. I understand your point of the characters seeming empty, following commands, not their emotions. All I can say is that they're fighting their emotions. It should get better. Please continue reading. :)

Chapter 5: Right Round

Ginny had woken up hours ago but she hadn't left her bed.

She lay spread eagled under the covers, red curls sprawling across her pillows, staring up at the canopy over her bed. Her head felt cloudly, her body ached, especially around her pelvis.

Light shone in from the window of the dorm. She had no idea what time it was. She suspected sometime around noon.

She squeezed her eyes shut.

She had sex.

With Draco Malfoy.

Draco fucking Malfoy.

Fucking Malfoy.

'Oh Merlin I'm such a slut!!!!!' Ginny mentally screamed at herself.

A door clicked open and Hermione emerged from the bathroom, fresh from her shower, red Gryffindor robe wrapped around her.

"Well look who decided to wake up!" Hermione said brightly to Ginny.

Ginny sat up and groaned.

"Late night last night?" Hermione continued to pry.

All Ginny did was groan again and fall back on her pillows.

"I'm just saying… You came in late last night. Hey, where did you put the clothes I let you borrow?"

Ginny's eyes flew wide open at this.

Hermione's clothes! Oh shit she probably left them at the bar-

"Here they are! Aw, you didn't have to fold them." Hermione said to Ginny, picking up a stack of clothes that were sitting on Ginny's trunk. Ginny didn't remember putting them there, or knowing how to fold that neatly. Hermione began hanging up her clothes, humming a tune.

Ginny sat up again, stretched her arms, and gave a huge yawn. Her neck hurt. She reached down and touched it.

A certain area felt sore to the touch.

"Ow." Ginny whispered as she grazed the spot with her fingertips.

"GINNY!" Hermione cried out. Her friend came hurrying over. "What happened to you???? You've got a red mark on your neck!!!"

"I do?" Ginny asked, gingerly touching the spot, wincing.

Hermione scrambled for a hand mirror and handed it to her. Sure enough, there was a red spot on the end of Ginny's neck, close to her shoulder.

"What did you DO last night?" Hermione asked, hands on hips.

She could lie, or she could tell the truth. She figured she might as well confide in Hermione. She would be the most understanding out of her friends- given the other two options were Harry and her brother.

Ginny lowered the hand mirror and stared off.

"I had sex." She said, shocking even herself as the words came out her mouth.

The next thing she knew Hermione was squealing and giving her a big hug, rocking her back and forth.

"Oh this is GREAT!" Hermione said, releasing Ginny and clapping her hands.

Ginny stared at her in horror.

"I want to know EVERYTHING!!!" Hermione said, clambering on top of Ginny's bed and bouncing in anticipation.

"How was it? Was it romantic? Where did it happen? *gasp* Was it BIG?"

Ginny's mouth fell open.

"First off- I haven't had sex before so I don't know how it 'was'." Ginny said.

"Well that's okay. Did you at least like it?" Hermione asked.

Ginny had to stop and think.

~*~*~*~

Last night was a blur. She remembered her act on the stage. The champagne had helped with her release. The adrenaline rush it had given her was the best thing she had felt in a while. As for afterwards, Ginny didn't want to think about it.

She had been stupid and let her guard down. Maybe she had given in to Draco subconsciously. Maybe it was an unintentional means to get over the horrible date she had with Harry. Maybe it was a lot of things. She surely didn't like him- like that. Right?

"Do you think Neville will be mad that I missed Herbology?" Ginny hurriedly changed the subject, after looking at the clock on the wall that read eleven thirty.

"You'll be fine. If you ask I'm sure he'll give you today's notes. Now tell me- where was it?"

"Where was what? Herbology?"

"No Ginny! Where did it go down?"

Ginny sighed and rolled her eyes, realizing that Hermione wasn't giving up on the subject.

"A couch."

"A couch?" Hermione said. She shook her head. "That's not very romantic."

Ginny sighed again. It wasn't supposed to be romantic. It wasn't even supposed to have happened. It was a bad mistake.

"So how big was it?" Hermione blurted, interrupting Ginny's thoughts

Ginny groaned and fell back on her bed, reaching for a pillow to hide her face.

"Come on!!!! You can tell me!" Hermione said.

"Long." Came Ginny's muffled reply. Hermione burst into a fit of giggles. While listening to Hermione's muffled giggled through the pillow she came to realize, Hermione thought she had sex with HARRY.

She was glad her face was hidden by the pillow or Hermione would see her pale as a ghost.

Hermione's giggles suddenly stopped.

"Oh! I need to finish getting or we'll be late for lunch and NEWT prep! Get up get up!" Hermione panicked, sliding off Ginny's bed and heading towards her closet.

~*~*~*~

Draco knew that Blaise had told him to ring the bell twice at his place in Hogsmeade but he didn't care. He rang at least 8 times.

"I figured you'd be back." Blaise said, opening the door for him. "Aren't you missing class right now?"

"I don't care. I need a drink." Draco said, marching over to the bar and collapsing on a barstool.

Blaise shrugged and walked around to the opposite side the bar and picked out a couple of bottles from underneath the bar. He scooped some ice into a medium glass and started pouring contents into it.

"Where's the girl?" Blaise asked, smiling slightly at Draco. Draco groaned in response.

"She was in my dreams. I was trying to get some shut eye but…. I just kept waking up." Draco said, eagerly reaching for the drink that Blaise handed him. He drank it in three large gulps.

"Keep em coming." Draco told him. Blaise took out several more glasses from under the bar and set them on the counter.

"So where is your head?" he inquired.

"Spinning."

"Come on, mate!" Blaise said, sliding Draco his second drink. "Sex with random girls happens. And after she worked that stage last night? DAY-AMN!"

Draco gave him a disgusted look.

"Don't talk about her that way." He said, downing his drink. He reached for another.

"Geez! All right…" Blaise said, holding his hands up in surrender.

"And she wasn't just some RANDOM girl." Draco said, swirling the third glass of liqueur in his hand.

"Really? She wasn't?" Blaise said, setting Draco's used glasses in a sink. "Well, she did look like that blood traitor…. Oh. My. God." Blaise quickly turned to Draco.

Draco groaned. He knew what was coming.

"YOU HAD SEX WITH A WEASLEY?"

"Not so loud!!!" Draco complained.

"It's not like the club's open. No one is going to hear." Blaise said. He started mixing a VERY large drink for Draco.

"I can't believe you. Of all people. And with her… Of all people…."

"I know I know…" Draco mumbled. There was silence between the two except for the clinking of ice and glass.

"Damn mate." Blaise said, finally breaking the silence. "You rode her like the wild horse she is."

"Oh Merlin…." Draco said, letting his head fall to the table at Blaise's description.

"You SAW US?" Draco groaned even louder, lifting his head.

"Hey, it's MY establishment." Blaise said, pointing at Draco. "Don't tell me what I can and can not do."

"But you WATCHED!!!" Draco cried out.

"Yeah I did." Blaise said, grinning. "You were all- Unnnnnnngh! And she was all- Ooooooooh!"

"Oh BLOODY HELL!" Draco said, throwing his glass at Blaise who ducked out of the way. The glass shattered against the wall and pieces flew in every direction

"Hey you're paying for that!" Blaise said.

"Fine. I don't care." Draco said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out several gold Galleons and slapping them down on the counter.

"Aw come on. Don't leave yet! You have to try this one!" Blaise said, pushing the tall glass towards Draco. Draco grumbled before reaching for the drink.

"So do you want to tell me exactly what happened?" Blaise asked, leaning on the bar counter, arms folded.

"No." Draco said.

"I'm not asking what position, I already know that." Blaise said. Draco drew his arm back, ready to throw another drink.

"Hey hey! I'm only kidding! We're mates right?" Holding his hands up in defense again.

"I just want to know how….. Last night…. Happened." Blaise said again, choosing his words carefully.

Draco then elaborated the events of the last three weeks.

"So…. You're in the same situation you were with Pansy." Blaise summarized. "Friends with benefits."

"No. It's different." Draco said. He sighed. It was so complicated to explain.

"Different how?" Blaise asked concerned.

"I…. I want to be with her ALL the time! And whenever Potter so much as breathes in her direction it makes my blood….. Boil. And and and…. My chest feels very warm when I think about her and…. And if anyone besides you finds out…. Especially if my parents ever find out….. I'm DEAD!" Draco said, breathlessly.

Blaise chuckled.

"She probably never wants to see me again…" Draco muttered, finishing off his last drink.

"You asked her if she was sure, right?"

"Yes." Draco said.

"Did she say no?" Blaise continued.

"No."

"Did she say stop?"

"No. You were there anyways. You would know." Draco said rudely.

"Yeah… I in fact heard the opposite." Blaise said, smiling.

"This is not how I should be feeling." Draco said. "This needs to end. My parents wouldn't approve of this. This isn't what they want for me."

He motioned for another drink which Blaise obliged to hand over.

"Don't cave to your parents' wishes if they're not your desires." Blaise told him. Draco nearly choked on his drink.

"Excuse me?" He spluttered.

Blaise sighed.

"Listen. I only care about three things Draco. Money, the pleasures money brings me, and you. I'm just trying to have your back here. If you like the broad, then go after her."

"Where's my mate? Shouldn't you be telling me to 'seal the deal' or 'tap that arse'?" Draco asked confused. "Why are you telling me to go after the girl? It's Ginny WEASLEY for Merlin's sake."

"I always told you she was attractive…" Blaise said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Our families DESPISE each other." Draco said sternly.

"Our parents have controlled us our whole lives. If it doesn't end now, when will it ever?" Blaise told him, beginning to rinse out Draco's used glasses.

"I'm not going to start disobeying my parents wishes by perusing Ginny Weasley." Draco shook is head. It was crazy. He didn't like her - like that. Right?

"I think you might want to start by dipping a toe, rather than diving off a cliff head first into the rocks with the sharks. You hear me?" Blaise said.

"I know how to swim. I think I can handle this." Draco replied in a snarky tone.

"First- you need to do something to make her feel better about last night. She's probably going just as crazy as you." Blaise said.

"I didn't say I wanted to pursue her." Draco interrupted.

"I suggest something from Honeydukes. Girl's love chocolate."

"Stop coming up with a game plan." Draco told his friend.

"Flowers are always good too. Make sure they don't die too fast."

"I'm not getting her anything." Draco said.

"Keep your distance if those don't seem to work."

"I'm not doing it."

"Trust me. You will."

"You're wrong."

A cuckoo clock in the corner went off, signaling it was noon.

"Shit. I've got to get back." Draco said, sliding off the barstool.

"See you later?" Blaise called after him.

Draco waved at him without looking back..

"I expect you to bring her with you next time!" Blaise shouted as the door closed behind Draco.

~*~*~*~

Ginny was relieved to see that Draco wasn't at lunch. She hoped he would be absent for NEWT prep as well.

Hermione was acting annoying towards Harry. She kept on asking him how last night to which he would shrug and say-

"It was fine."

"Just fine?" Hermione had replied, pouting.

"Yeah. It was fine." Harry said, shrugging again and sitting down at the table. Hermione frowned and plopped herself down between Harry and Ron.

When Hermione was occupied talking to Ron, Harry leaned in to Ginny.

"Is there something I should know about? Hermione's acting…. Odd. And keeps asking how last night went." Harry whispered.

Ginny quickly shook her head.

"I didn't say anything to her. Nope. Nothing about last night. I didn't go anywhere afterwards." Ginny took a large bite of a roll to prevent herself from anymore talking.

Harry rolled his eyes.

"Girls." Ginny heard him mutter under his breath.

On the walk to NEWT prep Hermione continued to pester Harry.

"Are you SURE you didn't have an exceptionally fabulous time last night?"

"For the last time Hermione! It was fine!" Harry said.

Ginny heard her mumble something about asking Ron.

As they walked into the NEWT classroom, Ginny was relieved Draco still hadn't shown up. He didn't show up the entire class.

Ginny was excited to get to go back to the Gryffindor tower after class. Hermione had turned her attention from bothering Harry to study time.

"We have three months until we have to take the NEWTs, except for you Ginny." Hermione announced, marching determinedly towards the Gryffindor Tower.

"I figured if we divided up our time wisely we can spend two weeks minimum on each subject, starting with Astronomy."

"Two weeks minimum?" Ron complained. "Why can't we just study in December like everyone else?"

"Because, Ronald." Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "We aren't like everyone else! Besides us three, Malfoy, and those couple of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students that sit up front, we are the only Eighth Years who returned to school. We have less time than everyone else! We should have started studying ages ago!"

Ron groaned as Hermione proceeded to hurry to the common room.

Ginny trailed behind the trio, as always, but suddenly she felt a hard tug on her robe, pulling her into a side hallway. A hand clamped over her mouth to muffled her startled yelp. The pulling stopped and Ginny whirled around to face her attacker.

~*~*~*~

"Bloody hell Draco! You gave me a fright!" Ginny said, shoving him away from her.

"Hey! If you wanted to play rough, all you had to do was ask." Draco responded cheekily. Ginny's face turned red. It was a wrong choice of words on Draco's part.

"Look. We need to talk." Draco said as Ginny continued to glare at him, hands on her hips.

"You nauseate me." Ginny said, turning on her heel to leave. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back, extracting another yelp from her.

"Stop that!"

"I'll stop once you listen to me!" Draco growled.

"Fine!' Ginny practically shouted.

"Fine!" Draco replied.

She continued to glare at him, her feet at a wide stance, hands firmly gripping her hips.

"I wanted to give you something." Draco said, reaching into the leather messenger bag that hung from his shoulder.

Ginny slightly relaxed. Draco withdrew a long rectangular box from his bag that was gold with a red bow on it. Ginny bristled again.

"What is that? Our sex tape?" Ginny spat.

"No." Draco said, handing it over. Ginny gave him a skeptical look before snatching it out of his hands and slipping off the bow. She lifted the lid of the box.

"You got me chocolate?" Ginny asked dumbfounded.

"Yeah…. Er…. You like sweets don't you?' Draco asked. He could have swore she did. Unless it was his imagination that she tasted like champagne and chocolate last night….

"What are you playing at? Are you trying to buy my silence or something?" Ginny said, waving the box of candy in his face, its contents rolling around inside.

"No! Of course not!" Draco said. "I just….. Wanted to… Um…. Apologize?" Draco inquired.

"Apologize? For what? Stealing my innocence?" Ginny ranted. Draco went white.

"You mean…. You were a--"

"A virgin? Yes. And losing my virginity to you on a smelly old couch in your best friends nightclub was NOT how I had exactly pictured losing it." Ginny said, crossing her arms.

"How did you picture it?" He asked. Ginny's face grew redder. He could barely make out her freckles now.

"That is NONE of your business." She said, pointing at him with the box of chocolates she was still holding.

Ginny had considered giving up her virginity to Harry last year. It was supposed to be his birthday present. But all they had managed to do was snog because Ron had interrupted. If he hadn't, maybe she wouldn't be feeling so bad about having had sex with Draco, considering she wouldn't have been a virgin.

"I'm sorry you're mad at me." Draco said, interrupting her thoughts. "But I DID ask you if it was all right." He pointed out.

"I know that." Ginny said.

Silence.

"And you don't have to be sorry. It was me that made a stupid decision. I probably should have just stayed back at the tower with Harry…. Then this never would have happened." Ginny moped.

Draco sighed, annoyed.

"What?" Ginny asked, watching him begin to pace in the hallways, smoothing his hair in his annoyance.

"All this talk about how you have to be with Harry or the world will end. Face it. You don't want to be with him. Tell him so!" Draco told her angrily.

Ginny was taken aback at this.

"You sound like a jealous boyfriend." Ginny said. Draco scoffed, and continued his pacing.

"Yeah right. You wish." He said, stopping his pacing and leaning against the stone wall of the hallway.

Ginny gave a hearty laugh.

"No. YOU wish." She said, poking a finger at Draco.

"Please." Draco said, turning his head away from her.

"You forget who you're talking to." He said, not meeting her eyes. Ginny's hands were back on her hips.

"So do you." she said, bobbing her head with attitude.

Draco continued to avoid her stares and shuffled his feet on the floor, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Suddenly….. It clicked.

"Wait." Ginny said, holding out her hand.

"Do you…… like me?" She asked in complete disbelief. Draco turned his head to look at the ceiling. He shook it quickly, still avoiding her gaze.

"Define like…." He said, now looking at the floor.

"Oh!" Ginny scoffed. "Uh…. You've GOT to be kidding." Ginny said, taking up Draco's pacing.

"I do NOT believe this" She said, throwing her hands up in the air. Draco stepped away from the wall and followed her paces.

"How do you think I feel?" He said, throwing his arms up in the air just like Ginny had. He ran a hand through his hair, mussing it up.

"I haven't slept. I feel sick. Like there's something in my stomach…. Fluttering….."

Ginny stopped her pacing, Draco almost running into her. She whirled around to face him.

"Butterflies?" she hissed. Draco hung his head in shame.

"Oh no no no no no. This is NOT happening." Ginny said, waving her hands in front of her, backing away from Draco.

"Believe me. No one is more surprised or ashamed than I am." Draco said, pointing at her.

"Those butterflies have got to be murdered." Ginny said fiercely.

The stared at each other for a moment.

"Fine." Draco said finally. "The sex wasn't that great anyways." He snarled.

"Thanks." Ginny replied sarcastically. She stormed off out of the hallway.

~*~*~*~

Fuck. He had really screwed it up this time.

A week had passed since the argument in the hallway. Ginny had completely ignored him. All the times they passed in the hall he saw Ginny laughing and hanging on Harry's arm, much to Harry's delight. At meals, she didn't even so much as glance in his direction. It angered him. But today he would see her again. It was a Monday, which meant NEWT prep after lunch.

He trudged into the NEWT prep classroom early. His heart felt like it was being squeezed as he saw Ginny perched on the edge of Harry's desk. They were all laughing, seeming to have a good time. It seemed that Hermione's top grade NEWT accepted inkwell had squirted on her NEWT pamphlet which she quickly fixed with a 'scourgify' spell.

"Sweets anyone?" Ginny asked the group, taking a box out of her worn book bag.

"Wow Gin! Where'd you get these? This is the most expensive box of chocolates that Honeydukes carries!" Ron said, grabbing for the box.

Ginny took a peek in Draco's direction and saw him glaring. The most expensive box? Maybe she shouldn't have been so mean to him last week….

"*gasp* Strawberry Clotted Cream filled ones!" Ron said, almost crying for joy as he reached for a chocolate.

"So where'd you get them?" Harry asked.

"It was a free sample." Ginny lied.

"Wow! I always thought they gave out broken sweets for free samples." Ron said, reaching for another chocolate.

The four of them ate the chocolates while waiting for the class to start.

The professor came hurrying into the classroom, a large chalkboard following him.

"All right all right students! Get out your pamphlets and turn to page three hundred and twenty two! Quickly quickly now!"

Ginny slid off Harry's desk and walked around the room to her desk and settled into it without looking at Draco.

The teacher began prattling on about how this chapter regarding the NEWTs was very important. Everyone but Hermione wasn't paying attention. Some students were doodling in their pamphlets. Ron was licking his fingers of access chocolate. Harry looked like he was falling asleep. Hermione was on the edge of her seat in anticipation, head snapping back and forth between the chalkboard and her parchment, scribbling down notes.

Ginny, however, decided to play with her hair. She ran her hands through it, tossing it back in Draco's direction. She could tell she hit him in the face with her hair at least once because he sneezed. She twirled a stand around her finger, letting the curl bounce.

Draco couldn't stand it any longer. He had to say something.

"You know…" He harshly whispered to her. "Those chocolates were for you… Not to share."

"I don't recall you mentioning I couldn't share them." Ginny whispered back, not turning around. She shook her head, her curls smacking Draco's face again lightly.

"Do that one more time and I will grab it." He hissed.

"You wouldn't." Ginny hissed back.

"Oh I would." Draco growled. "I know how much you like it when I pull your hair."

Ginny whirled around in her seat.

"You shut your dirty mouth!" She snapped.

"Make me." Draco smirked. Ginny just glared at him and proceeded to wrap her hair up in a loose bun, away from Draco's grasp.

They both sat there fuming the rest of the class. When the bell rang Ginny didn't even speak to her friends on the way out. She had to escape. Hogsmeade wasn't an option, not like she wanted to go back to that horrible nightclub anyways. She ended up making her way down to the Herbology greenhouses. Neville waved to her as she huffed past. She kept going until she made it down to the lake. She plopped herself down on the dock and began to cry.

Thinking about Draco made her head spin right round. It gave her a headache. It made her heart ache. She didn't like feeling this way. Her emotions felt out of control. Her tears ceased.

Hours later, she knew it must be around dinner time because her stomach had begun to growl at her. She hugged her knees to her chest and stared out at the lake like she had for the past three hours. The sun was beginning to set over in the mountains. She stood up and turned to walk back up the dock towards the castle but she stopped.

Draco Malfoy was standing at the beginning of the dock, waiting.

~*~*~*~

After he had messed things up with Ginny again, he had headed to Hogsmeade, even though it wasn't allowed. His head felt like it was spinning right round. He had places to go, people to see, time was precious. He didn't want to stay too long in Hogsmeade or he might get caught. He life was out of control, just like his mind.

His wallet felt very heavy, like it knew a storm of spending was coming its way.

Draco mentally cursed Ginny for making him throw his money around for her. He wasn't the type of person who bought women, besides his mother, gifts. But for Ginny?

His money loved her like a number one fan. His gold Galleons burned a hole in his pocket.

Once he reached Hogsmeade he walked into one of the two worst places for a man ever to shop at.

He was spending his money. He was out of control.

'Merlin help me!' Draco thought.

A few hours later, later than Draco had hoped for, he was leaving Hogsmeade, looking like a complete doofus with what he held in his arms.

She better damn well like what he got. Blaise was going to get it the next time Draco saw him. It was going to go down.

On his way up to the castle, he saw someone sitting on the dock of the lake. It didn't matter that he was too far away, he knew who it was. He made his way over towards the dock.

He silently approached the dock, his feet quiet in the grass. The sun was starting to set.

Just as he reached the dock, Ginny stood up. Draco froze in his steps and hid his arms behind his back. She turned to leave but stopped when she saw him.

~*~*~*~

The sight of Ginny on the dock was that out of a picture. The colors from the setting sun made her look like nothing more beautiful could be found.

She was amazing, her hair looked like a fire blazing, hotter than Cajun.

She took a step closer to him, wary.

Draco felt like he was in a daze.

Ginny broke the silence.

"Stalk me much?" she questioned.

Draco took a breath before answering.

"What are you doing out here all alone?" He asked. She shrugged.

"I was upset. I needed a place to go and think…"

"Oh…" Was his reply.

"Well…" He started, but Ginny interrupted him.

"I'm not in the mood Draco." she sighed. "This is pretty much the worst week of my life post war." She made a move to shove past him. He blocked her way with his body.

"Maybe it can be salvaged." He said. She shook her head.

"I don't see how. You're the one that caused it all anyways." She said. She made another move to get past.

"How about now?" He asked, revealing what was hidden behind his back. She gasped in surprise.

Her eyes were wide at the large floral arrangement he held out to her, his head hanging down sheepishly.

"They're for you." He said, not looking at her. "I'm sorry about last week, about everything rude I said. That I ever said. About you… Or your family…. Except for your brother. He's still a bloody wanker."

Ginny had to giggle at the last part. She caught a hold of herself. She shook her head at Draco and the gesture.

"No, I couldn't." She said.

"Yes, you can." He told her, holding the flowers out farther.

"It's too much."

"Something this beautiful, deserves to be given to someone worthy of its beauty." Draco murmured. Ginny took a deep breath before reaching out to take a hold of the bouquet.

"I really am sorry." Draco said.

Their hands touched as Draco passed over the flowers. There was a pause as the touch lingered.

Ginny took a step forward towards Draco. She hesitated before leaning in and upwards, too plant a kiss lightly on Draco's shoulder.

His free hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her close. He lowered his head to hers, meeting her lips in another kiss.

Suddenly, everything stopped spinning.

~*~*~*~

Author's Note: I'm not too sure how I like the last sentence but I couldn't think of anything else to say. I hope people enjoyed this chapter and that the characters seemed more like themselves. In my mind, they have decided to give up fighting their emotions and have begun to give into them. What will happen next? You will just have to stick around to find out! Please review, it means a lot! Thanks for reading! :)


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